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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615871">TWO LEFT FEET</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplejinnie/pseuds/purplejinnie'>purplejinnie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TWO LEFT FEET &amp; Other Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>2min are a divorced couple on good terms, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bang Chan &amp; Han Jisung | Han &amp; Seo Changbin are Best Friends, Barista Han Jisung | Han, Enemies to Lovers, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone is WAY too scared to admit their feelings, Implied Sexual Content, Interior Designer Hwang Hyunjin, Kim Seungmin is a Good Friend, Lee Felix is a Confident Gay (Stray Kids), M/M, Makeup Artist Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Minor Han Jisung | Han/Hwang Hyunjin, Minor Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Minor Lee Felix/Seo Changbin, One Night Stands, Producer Seo Changbin, Single Parent Bang Chan, Teacher Lee Minho | Lee Know, University Student Kim Seungmin, University Student Yang Jeongin | I.N, a lot of crying, also lots of platonic kisses and cuddles, chan is an amazing dad, chan is over 6ft in this fic because i refuse to believe mans is 5'7, everyone go kiss your friends! (bearing in mind you're comfortable with that), felix is SO expensive, minho has cats AND commitment issues, seungmin is a caring angel who deserves the world, which should be normalised</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:15:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>63,214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615871</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplejinnie/pseuds/purplejinnie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Crushed with the responsibilities of parenthood and the uncertainties of his career, Chan just needs one night of mindless fun. Prompted by his best friend Felix, he finds that in Lee Minho, an alluring and intoxicating stranger who he meets at a local nightclub. However, Chan finds his mindless fun short-lived when Minho seems to be much closer to Chan's life than he once thought.</p><p>Minho teaches his daughter ballet... and she can't stand him.</p><p>(single dad bang chan and ballet teacher lee minho au where they're both dicks to each other but maybe they also kinda love each other a little bit who knows)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Han Jisung | Han/Hwang Hyunjin, Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Lee Felix/Seo Changbin, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>TWO LEFT FEET &amp; Other Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2271344</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>83</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>319</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. STRINGS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>my first stray kids fic and first fic i'm determined to actually finish because this idea is just hella cute</p><p>also i guess this is teen??? idk it's not sexually explicit enough to hit an M and definitely not an E so i guess by default it's teen</p><p>24/04/21 - i decided to come up with some definitive sexualities for the boys instead of them all being mlm with no variety - in doing so, i've tried my best to edit and alter the fic so that makes all their respective sexualities make sense. however, i may have slipped up occasionally at times so if there's some inconsistency with sexuality don't treat it like a plot development or sum!!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Boo, you’re no fun,” Jisung sulked, backing away from Chan, “What are workplace friends for if not for sharing sexual conquests?”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chan was no stranger to pounding headaches, thrumming in his head like club music. His time as a stupid eighteen-year-old had well acquainted him with such afflictions to the point where they had become a necessary factor to his daily routine. Popping aspirin was just as natural as brewing coffee.</p><p>However, Chan hadn’t been eighteen for a long time - something he resented being reminded of. This, of course, meant mornings like this served as a grim reminder that Chan hadn’t been that age for seven years. Mornings like this when a jackhammer was persistently drilling into his temple or his brain was pooling into soup in his skull.</p><p>Another thing that felt in line with eighteen-year-old Chan was the presence of another body in his bed. This was less of a grim reminder. Chan hadn’t woken up to someone else, except for Chaesun, in an embarrassingly long time. As the body next to him stirred, he felt last night's events defog in his mind.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Are you sure about this?” Chan muttered, squinting at his reflection in the mirror as Felix gripped his shoulder. The younger boy scanned over Chan’s features, pursing his lips slightly before swaying over to his make-up bag. Changbin watched from the doorframe, a smirk playing on his lips which he attempted to cover with a mug of herbal tea. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’ve never been more sure about something in my life,” Felix answered, fishing out a collection of products and laying them out on the bathroom counter, “Well… this and asking out Binnie-hyung.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Changbin blushed, sipping his tea quietly. Chewing on his lower lip, Felix began his ‘work’ and spoke as he went, “But, yes, I’m positive. Every guy in there is gonna want a piece of you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “This,” Felix said, motioning to Chan’s whole face and then the collection of products, “is a guaranteed lay.” He inspected his shades of foundation, trying to match them as best as he could to Chan’s complexion. He eventually settled on one which Chan agreed was the closet and started to apply.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I love how your main mission is to get me laid,” Chan admitted, watching Felix complete the task at hand. Finishing up with the foundation, Felix stood back and tutted. “When was the last time you fucked, Channie-hyung?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, I don’t need to hear this,” Changbin declared, exiting the room. Felix chuckled slightly, “Acting like a prude as if he didn’t fuck me on the couch last night.” As Felix spoke, he raised his voice to make himself heard. The slam of their shared bedroom door punctuated the conversation as Felix turned back to Chan. “So?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I… um... I can’t really remember. I think it was with Sehun,” Chan answered truthfully, feeling his face heat up. Felix didn’t laugh, only a look of pity forming on his face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That long?” The blonde boy whispered, scandalised, before reaching for the concealer. Inspecting Chan’s face once more, he added some concealer to a few of Chan’s blemishes. “Look, Chaesun is God’s gift to mankind and I love her with all my heart-” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But… kids are the biggest cockblocks. You don’t want to be blowing someone’s back out whilst worrying if your daughter is gonna burst in the room. How did you and Sehun even manage anyway?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Felix placed the concealer back into his bag, muttering ‘perfect’ under his breath. Chan thought for a second before replying, “We either did it super-fast or when we knew she was asleep.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That is so very sad, hyung. You’re twenty-five years old not fifty,” Felix teased, grabbing some blush, “Where’s the spontaneity? The passion? It’s my duty as your best friend to make sure you live a fun and exciting sex life.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I didn’t ask you to do that,” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “And yet, here I am doing it because I am such an amazing friend,” the younger boy pointed out whilst swiping a brush over the blush, “Operation: Get Chan Laid is in your best interest really and there is literally no foreseeable downside. You either a) get laid b) get drunk c) get a well-deserved break or d) all of the above. And, I might add, Chaesun is dealt with because of her amazing godfathers Felix and Changbin offering her a fun night in with us. What could go wrong?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You kill my daughter,” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Felix could only gasp in horror. They continued to talk as Felix did Chan’s make-up. By the time they were done, Chan had partly accepted that Felix did have some form of a point and even if he didn’t get laid, he still was getting a break from parenting duty. Looking in the mirror, Chan admitted that Felix had done a damn good job with the make-up and felt a little more confident about tonight. It wasn’t over-the-top, a look that Chan would’ve hated, instead understated, and showed off Chan’s piercing eyes. Felix had also added a few sparkling gems under his eyes, something Chan had initially protested but was now coming around to. What he hadn't come around to was Felix's suggestions of wardrobe, deeming Chan's clothes as 'way too straight' before suggesting a crop-top. Chan immediately declined and after a few minutes of discussion, Felix had pulled out a pair of leather pants Chan never wore and insisted he wore them. They did look good though, Chan couldn't deny that and after another fight against the crop-top, Chan had opted for a simple white shirt to go with. It was slightly oversized and, when partially unbuttoned, showed off Chan's chest nicely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hey, Binnie! Can we get an outsider’s opinion?” Felix hollered, leaning against the bathroom counter, and slipping his make-up products back into the bag. The brown-haired boy entered quickly, his eyes widening as he saw Chan. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Wow,” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hot, right?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Really hot. I’d fuck you, hyung,” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m right here,” Chan whined, a smile breaking out at how nonchalantly Changbin had said that “And so is Felix.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No, he has a point,” Felix added, smirking, “If you weren’t you, I’d climb you like a tree.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Gee! Thanks for that, Lix,” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Annoyingly, Felix had been right about the make-up. He’d been painfully accurate because right now, there was an insanely attractive man talking to Chan at the bar and buying him a drink. His hair was parted neatly at the middle with brown bangs covering piercing cat-like eyes and his soft pink lips were contorted in a charming smirk. He’d come up a few minutes before, lingering but not speaking. Ordering a drink and taking overt glances towards Chan. He wanted him to know he was looking, that he was interested. Chan was interested too, seeing the boy's graceful movements on the dance floor and the way his clothes hugged his sculpted body. It was the choker that had sealed the deal though, the band of black fabric emphasising his Adam's apple perfectly. Something so simple yet so incredibly attractive. And then, he’d walked up. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m Minho, by the way,” the man added, grinning and meeting Chan’s eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Chan,” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The music around them was so deafening that Chan couldn’t make out exactly what Minho had said after that, but it sounded along the lines of ‘pretty name’. Chan shrugged it off as the bartender came back with their drinks - two rum and Cokes. Chan didn’t particularly like the drink, but Minho was paying and after a while, the taste would become arbitrary. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I really like your make-up,” Chan definitely heard that as he nursed his drink. He could feel his ears heat up at the compliment. Minho seemed to notice the slight flush and slid himself slightly closer to Chan. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Thank you. It’s… uh… I didn’t actually do it. My friend...he’s really good with make-up,” Chan explained, laughing nervously in response to Minho gradually closing the gap between them. He took another long sip of his drink. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Some friend,” Minho quipped, “If only my friends would do my make-up that good… or at all.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Chan’s mind could barely catch up with his mouth as he uttered the next words, “I think you’re more than alright without the make-up.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wasn't lying. Minho's bare face was gorgeous, his skin practically untouched save for a few beauty marks.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Is that so?” The grin widened.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> The shots he’d done at Felix and Binnie’s as well as the vodka tonic he’d started with were starting to take hold of Chan. He felt bold now. He wasn’t in the mood to tip-toe around the subject with subtle allusions. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You’re really beautiful,” Chan admitted, not meeting Minho’s gaze. He watched as the other boy’s feet stepped closer to him and felt his hips brush with his. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Someone’s forward,” Minho hummed, snaking his fingers against Chan’s hand, “Is it alright if I’m forward too?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Chan felt his heart quicken as Minho finished speaking, his voice low and smooth. The way he spoke was utterly intoxicating to Chan. Taken aback, Chan nodded and swallowed hard. Minho turned his body towards the other boy and leant into his ear. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Dance with me,” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m a terrible dancer,” Chan resisted, leaving Minho to chuckle before he grabbed Chan by the wrist and led him to the floor. “Well, you’re in luck ‘cause I just happen to be an excellent teacher.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The way Minho moved on the dancefloor was a sight to behold. He allowed the music to completely overtake him and flow through his body, moving with ease yet precision. Chan felt completely stiff next to him and wondered as to why Minho was still dancing with him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He felt ridiculous. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Loosen up,” Minho suggested, pulling Chan closer to him, and guiding the uncomfortable boy’s hands onto his hips, “Don’t think, just do.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Easy for you to say,” Chan answered, “You’re at home here,” Minho smirked, spinning around, and melting into Chan’s body. “I guess you’re too pretty to also be a good dancer. But you’re not terrible either.” Their bodies pressed flush against one another with Chan gasping at the sudden and intense contact. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> With the help of alcohol, inhibitions started to melt away and soon, the two boys were dancing in unison. Minho stayed pressed up against Chan’s body whilst Chan kept his hands tight on Minho’s hips. The more confident boy’s loose shirt had started to slip off his shoulder, revealing his collarbone. The skin gleamed under the pulsing lights and Chan couldn’t resist. Despite being a little taller, Minho had lowered his body so that his neck was directly in line with Chan’s mouth. And so, Chan leaned in, kissing Minho’s neck softly at first. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s more like it,” Minho laughed, a small gasp escaping his lips as Chan began to suck at the skin. They continued like this with the music blaring around them and Chan being intent to leave a mark on Minho’s golden complexion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I couldn’t help myself. Sorry,” Chan confessed, pulling away from Minho’s neck. The taller boy turned back to face Chan, pressing their hips together tightly and whispering, “Don’t apologise for doing something like that. Just kiss me instead.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It would’ve been rude to decline. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The events of the evening began to blend themselves together and before Chan could realise it, he was unlocking the door to his apartment with Minho following closely behind.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> As soon as the door shut, Minho latched himself back onto Chan, kissing him needily. Stroking his waist, Chan motioned for Minho to jump up. The boy obliged, hooking his arms around Chan’s neck and his legs around his waist. Chan held him up, silently thanking that he still regularly worked out, and led him towards his bedroom. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I want you so bad,” Minho groaned, sinking into Chan’s mattress as he was lowered down. Chan hastily undid the buttons to Minho’s shirt, reassuring, “Only a little longer, baby.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Baby,” Minho laughed, testing the word on his tongue, “I like that.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>That was about the last thing Chan could really remember. Obviously, he remembered having sex with Minho, and even if he didn’t Minho’s sleeping body next to him was an indicator, but not in much detail. He could recall how it felt, how Minho sounded and how much he’d needed it. Not much else.</p><p>“Morning,” Minho said softly, rolling over to face Chan, “You been up for long?” Chan shook his head, stroking Minho’s hair gently. His brown hair had become spiky from the way he'd slept and it was... endearing? Someone so intimidating and confident last night looked so unbelievably cute right now. The other boy melted into his touch, laughing to himself.</p><p>“What?” Chan asked.</p><p>“Nothing… just got deja-vu?”</p><p>“You do this often?” His tone was playful, still running his fingers through Minho’s hair.</p><p>“Not particularly. Only with the attractive guys,”</p><p>Chan admitted that he could get used to this, seeing Minho like this but Felix’s words echoed in his mind.</p><p>
  <em> “Whatever you do, Channie, don’t get attached. This is just a one-night stand.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What if I really like him?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “If you do this right, you’ll barely know him.” </em>
</p><p>He did barely know Minho. The more he thought about it, the weirder it was. He knew Minho’s name, his age, which was twenty-four, and that was about it. Despite that, he’d still seen Minho naked, he’d still had sex with Minho. He tried not to dwell on how backwards it felt to him. Maybe, he wasn’t cut out for hook-up culture. </p><p>Minho had been his litmus test. And yet, Chan didn’t want to end this experiment so soon.</p><p>“Is it okay if I have a shower before I go?” Minho asked, sitting up and stretching his arms. Chan nodded, “That’s fine. Oh… um… do you want me to cook you anything?”</p><p>Minho clambered out of the bed, turning to Chan, and shaking his head. “Don’t worry. I’ll be out of here soon.”</p><p>Chan rolled onto his back, sighing quietly to himself. Minho entered the bathroom and soon after, the familiar noise of the shower filled the room. </p><p>Minho was true to his word, having a quick shower and slipping on last night’s clothes with ease. As he grabbed his phone from the bedside table, an idea suddenly sprouted in Chan’s mind.</p><p>“Could I… Could I get your number… maybe?” Chan cringed as he spoke. Maybe he shouldn’t say the first things that come to mind. Minho looked awkward, before giving a pitiful smile.</p><p>“Look, Chan,” he began, and Chan knew where this was headed, “You’re really sweet and… last night was great… but this was a one-time thing for me.”</p><p>“No, don’t worry, I understand,”</p><p>“Sorry,”</p><p>With that, Minho left the way he’d been carried in. Chan collapsed back into his bed with a grunt and buried his face into his pillow.</p><p>“Idiot,”</p><p>After a few minutes of wallowing in humiliation, the familiar chime of a notification snapped Chan back into reality.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jisung [10:12]</b>
</p><p>hyung, don’t hate me but…</p><p>...we’re really short staffed today and i told soyoung that you could fill in</p><p> </p><p>Chan let out an irritated whine. He’d been hoping to spend the day reading scripts his agent had sent him as well as nursing the hangover he’d received. Listening to Jisung prattle on when he was in a good mood was patience testing enough so Chan wasn’t eager to find out how it felt when he was hungover.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jisung [10:12]</b>
</p><p>she said she’d pay you extra if you helped out</p><p> </p><p>That helped sweeten things a little. Running his fingers through his hair, Chan began to type his response.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:13]</b>
</p><p>I’ll be there at 11, okay?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jisung [10:13]</b>
</p><p>YOURE A LIFE SAVER I LOVE YOU HYUNG</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>The instant Chan entered the backroom to grab his apron, Jisung enveloped him in a forceful hug. The older boy grunted, softly returning the hug before re-adjusting his dark sunglasses.</p><p>“What’s with the eyewear?” Jisung asked, removing his arms from Chan’s body, and leaning back against some cardboard boxes, “Has the weather gotten better?”</p><p>It hadn’t.</p><p>Chan rubbed the back of his neck, looking down the hall to see if it was just him and Jisung. “I went out last night.”</p><p>“Ah,” Jisung nodded, turning to exit the backroom before stopping in his tracks, “Wait! You? Chan? Went out? To a club? And are hungover?”</p><p>His voice raised an octave in surprise as the situation washed over him. Chan immediately went to shush Jisung as a wide grin broke out on the younger’s face. “I will literally kill you if you keep talking so loud.”</p><p>“Sorry,” Jisung answered in a stage whisper, “It’s just… you never go out, hyung. You’re like allergic to nightclubs.”</p><p>“It was Felix’s idea,” Chan explained, regretting he’d even said yes to coming into work today, “It was part of his big mission to get me laid.”</p><p>“Did you?” Jisung leaned in close, desperate for an answer. He was beaming with a wide giddy smile. </p><p>“That’s none of your business,”</p><p>“Boo, you’re no fun,” Jisung sulked, backing away from Chan, “What are workplace friends for if not for sharing sexual conquests?”</p><p>“I didn’t conquer him,” Chan replied without hesitation before realising where’d he gone wrong. Jisung’s eyes widened and his jaw slacked.</p><p>“So, you did!” the younger boy exclaimed, giggling to himself. As he was about to ask a follow-up question, a timer on his phone chimed.</p><p>“Looks like we better get out there, Ji,” Chan pointed out, grabbing an apron off a peg, and tying it around his waist, “And, I’m about ninety per cent sure sex talk isn’t really encouraged around customers.”</p><p>“Lucky for you, hyung, I am master of the metaphor,”</p><p>Chan could only dread what this shift was going to entail.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“So, this country you conquered, how hot was it?” Jisung asked as the customer he’d been serving walked over to their table. Chan stopped cleaning the counters to roll his eyes and reply, “Excuse me, Jisung?”</p><p>“This country,” he grinned, opening the cash register, and slipping a few notes in, “How hot was it?”</p><p>“I’m not playing your games,” Chan snapped back, spying a customer, and strolling over to man the register, “How can I help you, ma’am?”</p><p>Jisung hung back, taking over Chan’s job of cleaning the counters and listening out for the woman’s order so he could begin making it.</p><p>“God, hyung, for a guy who spent all of last night conquering, you sure are acting like a pacifist,” Jisung teased, hearing the words ‘caramel macchiato’ drift from the woman’s lips. Thoroughly accustomed to making the drink, Jisung waltzed over to the milk steamer.</p><p>“That’ll be 5000 won,” Chan smiled, taking the woman’s money, and placing it into the register, “It’ll be right with you.” Walking past Jisung, he leaned in to whisper, “You are the most unprofessional person I’ve ever worked with.”</p><p>“If you tell me what went down, I’ll stop,” Jisung reasoned, watching the milk closely as he steamed it whilst Chan moved over to the espresso machine.</p><p>“Quit holding my job hostage,”</p><p>“Dramatic much?”</p><p>Chan turned back to stare daggers at Jisung who was finishing up with the milk. Fed up, Chan left Jisung to finish making the drink whilst he went to clean up some tables. As he left, he turned back to Jisung, “I’ll tell you everything after I’m done with these tables,”</p><p>Jisung beamed back pleasantly before continuing with the drink.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“His name was Minho,” Chan began, scanning his eyes over the people enjoying their coffees, “We met at Opal.”</p><p>“And you fucked,” Jisung finished, eliciting a heavy, world-weary sigh from Chan. “Yes Jisung, we fucked. Are we done now?”</p><p>Chan looked over to Jisung, expecting the answer but not fully ruling out the other possibility. The younger boy only shook his head, thinking for a moment before opening his mouth again. “Was it any good?”</p><p>“You are such a pervert,”</p><p>“That’s not an answer,”</p><p>“Yes, he was good… he was really good,” Chan answered, feeling his face burn up, “He was really sweet too and my god, he was just… breath-taking.”</p><p>Chan could feel Jisung’s smirk. Leave it to him to talk about a one-night stand and get all gooey-eyed. Even if he didn’t want to admit it and was trying his best to take his mind off it, Minho had done something indescribable to Chan.</p><p>“Did you get his number?” Jisung questioned, spying a customer walking in and his face brightening, “Oh! Let me take this?”</p><p>“You never offer to ta-,” Chan began, his eyes flicking over to the entrance, “Oh… and no, I didn’t get his number.”</p><p>Of course, Jisung would want to take this one. The moment Chan spied the head of blonde hair, he understood why Jisung was so eager.</p><p>Latte Guy.</p><p>A nickname coined by Jisung after the drink he always ordered. He was a regular here, stopping by every day to get a latte and when it was his shift, to be bombarded by Jisung. Chan watched from afar as Latte Guy walked up to the counter, a smile growing on his face as he recognised Jisung was working the counter.</p><p>“Heya!” Jisung chimed, flashing his signature grin to Latte Guy, “The usual?”</p><p>“You know me too well,” Latte Guy shot back, sliding the money over. Jisung took the money and Chan spied the completely not obvious way Jisung brushed his fingertips over Latte Guy’s hands. Jisung would <em> not </em>shut up about those hands and, after Jisung had drunk a little too much, he would not shut up about what he wanted those hands to do to him.</p><p>“You say that, but I don’t think I even know your name,” A development, Chan noted. He pulled his phone out, pretending to text someone as he listened intently to their conversation. Despite all his annoying habits and unbearable snark, Jisung deserved to find love with the undeniably handsome guy with a latte addiction.</p><p>“Well… Jisung,” Latte Guy began, leaning in to read Jisung’s name tag, “I’m Hyunjin.”</p><p>“It’s nice to properly meet you, Hyunjin,” Jisung grinned, his smile painfully wide which he was desperately trying to downplay, “I’ll get your latte right to you.”</p><p>Hyunjin chuckled lightly, his eyes crinkling into credits, with Chan noticing a light blush playing on his cheeks. He quietly said goodbye and walked over to find a table.</p><p>“Just go over there and ask him out already,” Chan advised as Jisung walked up to him, his eyes glinting with sheer unabashed joy.</p><p>“Are you stupid, hyung?” Jisung blurted out, immediately minding his volume and quieting down, “We’ve literally only spoken about coffee. He would be so weirded out.”</p><p>“I think he likes you too,”</p><p>“Do <em> not </em>say that to me,” Jisung warned, “I will die right here.” The younger boy turned to watch as Hyunjin sat down at his table and mindlessly flicked through his phone. “He’s just so pretty and all I wanna do is hold his hand and cuddle him.”</p><p>“I distinctly remember you saying you wanted to do something else to him last Saturday,” Chan teased as he watched Jisung’s face flush. The younger hit him playfully before beginning to make Hyunjin’s latte. Chan thought it was hilarious how much care Jisung put into the latte as if Hyunjin would notice if the milk measurements were an ounce off.</p><p>“Anyway, we’re getting distracted from your night with Minho,” Jisung reminded Chan, then suddenly panicking as he realised he’d screwed up a measurement. Gently pouring some milk out, he turned to Chan, “Go on.”</p><p>“Well… I asked for his number this morning, but he just gave that usual spiel about it being a one-night stand and all. It was really awkward… I could tell he was uncomfortable by the whole thing,” Chan relayed, cringing internally as he recalled the morning’s events, particularly Minho’s smile that seemed so filled with pity.</p><p>“Ouch, that’s rough, hyung,” Jisung sympathised, continuing his precise preparation of the coffee, “If I could play Devil’s Advocate though, the whole ‘no strings attached’ thing kinda comes with a one-night stand and a number definitely is a string.”</p><p>Chan nodded in agreement, a fact he knew deep down and probably should’ve kept in mind when thinking about asking Minho for his number.</p><p>“I don’t think I’m cut out for this whole thing,” Chan speculated, running his hands through his hair, and looking off into the distance, “You have sex with someone, and you share such an intimate part of yourself with them and then you just kinda have to leave. I find it weird.”</p><p>“I know you have a kid, but you sound middle-aged,” Jisung laughed, adding the finishing touches to the latte.</p><p>“I think I’m just old-fashioned about things,” Chan responded, rolling his eyes at Jisung’s teases, “Besides, I think I really liked what little stuff I knew about him.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I met someone last night,” Minho admitted, slotting his dance clothes into his bag. He’d always been cryptic with his relationships, especially with Seungmin, but in recent months, he’d felt the desire to talk more openly. Reconnecting with Seungmin had potentially spurred on this sudden change in character. The past was the past and Minho wanted to be a better, less closed-off version of himself. Seungmin was definitely under that philosophy. After getting a few coffees and catching up, Seungmin had introduced Minho to his boyfriend, Jeongin. Minho hadn’t even felt the jealousy he thought he would’ve felt. He mostly felt happy that Seungmin had found someone to make him smile again. That’s all he really wanted for Seungmin.</p><p>“That’s good,” Seungmin said, eating his lunch politely on the couch, “Where?”</p><p>“Opal,” Minho answered, zipping his bag shut and walking over to join Seungmin on the couch. He was surprised Hyunjin hadn’t mentioned it to Seungmin, it was his idea after all.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"You and your hand have been in a very intimate relationship this past year, Minho, but you should get out there. Flirt, fuck, french, whatever you want,"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm not sure, Jinnie. Is it best to go into the deep end straight away?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This isn't the dating pool... this is like the hook-up jacuzzi. Completely different things,"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"If you say so,"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Seungmin moved on... you should too. How long's it been since you hooked up with someone?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm not answering that... And, I don't need to move on from Seungmin. It's not like I've remained celibate since we broke up. I'm just not looking for a relationship right now,"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Is that really the truth or are you just scared? Just go out tonight. For me? There's no obligation for you to actually sleep with someone, but think of it like it's a push in the right direction. Get back out there,"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay, but if my kidneys get stolen, I'm blaming you,"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The younger boy gave a knowing look to Minho after his answer.</p><p>“So, you slept with someone, hyung?” Seungmin clarified, a grin playing on his lips.</p><p>“What makes you say that?” Minho questioned, nabbing a piece of food from Seungmin’s place, and looking guilty as if Seungmin had caught him in the act.</p><p>“Because I’ve been to Opal and I’ve slept with people at Opal,” The younger boy responded matter-of-factly, “If you go to Opal, you’re looking for to get laid.”</p><p>“Did you meet Jeongin at Opal?”</p><p>“No, I met him at the library,”</p><p>“Minnie, that’s downright filthy,” Minho laughed whilst Seungmin scoffed, finishing his meal, and sliding it onto the coffee table. They fell into a comfortable silence for a while. Silences like this had been unbearably awkward for Minho a few months ago, but he’d grown to find something pleasant in the silence. Seungmin’s presence was comforting. That was something Minho had known for a long time. He’d had many comfortable silences with Seungmin.</p><p>“I just wanted to get back into that whole ‘world’... that’s why I went to Opal,” Minho finally spoke up. Seungmin nodded, understanding Minho’s predicament. He was the person who could understand the most.</p><p>“Well, it sounds like you certainly got back into that ‘world’,” The light-brown haired boy stated, “What was his name?”</p><p>“Chan,”</p><p>“Do you want to see him again?” Seungmin inquired, standing up and grabbing the plate before wandering over to the kitchen. Minho’s eyes followed him as he went.</p><p>“No, of course not,” Minho quickly replied.</p><p>“That bad, huh?” Seungmin burst out laughing, placing the plate inside the dishwasher, and briskly washing his hands.</p><p>“No… not like that. It’s just… well, you of all people should know,” Minho explained, his voice growing quieter and more reserved. He could feel Seungmin’s eyes on him, most likely a troubled look on his face.</p><p>Silence fell between the two again, but this felt much more charged than the previous.</p><p>“Are you okay, Minho?”</p><p>The older boy’s head whipped up from his lap at this question. He was unsure what Seungmin was implying from it. His tone suggested worry but what was there to worry about? Minho was perfectly fine.</p><p>“Of course, I am… Why?” Minho answered, looking a little confused. Seungmin strolled over to the sofa and placed a comforting hand on Minho’s shoulder.</p><p>“I just want to make sure you’re okay,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan watched the doors to the school impatiently, drumming his fingers on his steering wheel. Sighing and leaning back into his seat, he reached over for his phone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [16:15]</b>
</p><p>Are you sure you dropped Chae off at the right school?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Felix [16:15]</b>
</p><p>of course</p><p>what kind of godfather do you think i am?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [16:15]</b>
</p><p>Okay, okay.</p><p>Just double-checking.</p><p>Oh, wait. Here she is now.</p><p> </p><p>Chan slipped his phone into his pocket and gave a beaming smile towards the little girl exiting the school. She was dressed in ballet clothing, with a baby blue backpack swung lazily over her shoulder. Chan’s expression faltered as he saw how she was walking, head craned at the floor and moving slowly. Unlocking the car, he gave a soft smile as she opened the door and clambered in.</p><p>“Hey Sunshine,” he hummed, “Is everything okay?”</p><p>Chaesun didn’t answer, a frown stretched over her face. Twisting his body, Chan grabbed a chocolate bar from the back seat and waved it near Chaesun. After a few shakes, she gingerly took the bar and started to unwrap it.</p><p>“We don’t have to talk if that’s what you want,” Chan compromised, sticking his keys in the ignition, and watching his rear-view mirror as he prepared to reverse, “But, can you at least tell me you’re okay?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” She sulked, biting into the chocolate bar, “My ballet teacher is being a-”</p><p>“Chae… we don’t call people names,” Chan warned, looking over to his daughter and raising an eyebrow. Chaesun rolled her eyes before taking a deep breath and correcting herself. “Ballet class is really unfair.”</p><p>“How come?” Chan inquired, turning out on the road. Chaesun leant over to switch on the music system, turning it on quietly. A smile broke out on her face as a Twice song began to play throughout the car. Chaesun was an avid Twice fan and Chan was starting to pray for his wallet with the amount of merch and albums Chaesun would ask for each birthday.</p><p>“He kept making me redo moves in front of everyone. And he was so mean about it,” Chaesun explained, huffing and sitting back in her seat, “Nothing I did was good.”</p><p>“That’s not true,” Chan quickly said, looking over to the deflated little girl, “Your mommy was a really great dancer. It’s in your blood.”</p><p>“You’re not… maybe I’ve got your blood, dad,”</p><p>“I’m just gonna pretend I didn’t hear that. Anyway, do you want me to talk to your teacher?” Chan suggested, scanning Chaesun’s face for a reaction. She simply responded with a shrug and said, “I guess.”</p><p>“I won’t if you don’t want me to, Chae. I just want you to enjoy your classes.”</p><p>“Okay… just don’t be weird.”</p><p>Chan scoffed at the snarkiness his daughter was exhibiting. He assumed Felix had been teaching her this when he left him to babysit. Rolling his eyes, he replied, “I’ll be super grown-up about it.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>After dropping Chaesun off at school. Chan decided that it would be the perfect time to talk to her ballet teacher. Whipping out his phone, he shot a quick text to Jisung.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [08:24]</b>
</p><p>Hey Ji, I gotta sort some stuff out with Chae’s teacher so can you tell Soyoung I’ll be late?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jisung [08:25]</b>
</p><p>got it hyung! (👍 ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)👍</p><p> </p><p>Chan smiled at the little flourish from Jisung, exiting his car and walking towards the schools’ dance studio. It was a relatively small building about a minute walk from the main school building. Chan strolled along a small pathway, sandwiched between neatly manicured lawns and colour-coded flowers. He was pleased that he’d managed to get Chaesun into an elementary school that was so aesthetically pleasing. If they took this much care about how their exterior was, they were probably doing the best with their teaching. Well, except for this one dance teacher, but Chan would set that right.</p><p>Pushing open the door to the dance studio, Chan entered a small modern reception area. A man sat at the desk typing, looking up at Chan.</p><p>“How can I help you, sir?” He asked, giving his perfected salesman smile.</p><p>“I was wondering if I could talk to the ballet teacher you have here. I’m not sure when his hours are but if you could arrange a meeting that would be great,” Chan explained. The receptionist nodded and spoke up again, “Well, you’re in luck. He just got in. I’ll go ask him if he’s free. Just have a seat there.”</p><p>He motioned to an uncomfortable-looking grey couch to the left of the desk. Chan thanked the receptionist and sat down as he walked off to get the teacher. As he presumed, the couch was thoroughly uncomfortable with scratchy cushions that had no give. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to be here long. Chan could hear the receptionist’s muffled voice as his phone chimed in his pocket.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Felix [08:32]</b>
</p><p>how’d the meeting go?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [08:32]</b>
</p><p>Just about to have it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Felix [08:33]</b>
</p><p>don’t be too mean, channie-hyung</p><p>you can be scary sometimes</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [08:33]</b>
</p><p>I’m going to be perfectly civil.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Felix [08:33]</b>
</p><p>i doubt that</p><p> </p><p>“He’s got a spare few minutes if that’s okay,” the receptionist said, tearing Chan’s eyes away from his phone. Chan stood up and nodded. “That’s perfect. It won’t take long.”</p><p>“Great! He’s just down the hall to the right,” the man explained, motioning to a hallway on the right of the room. Chan thanked him again and set off down the hallway.</p><p>Stopping at the door to the ballet room, Chan peered in through the small window. His eyes settled on the back of a brown-haired man, looking at his phone. Chan knocked politely, hearing a muffled ‘come in’ from the man inside.</p><p>As Chan entered, the man turned to face him, meeting eyes, and freezing instantly. And then Chan froze too. He recognised those eyes. He’d started into those eyes. He knew those lips. He’d kissed those lips.</p><p>“Chan. What are you doing here?” Minho asked, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Chan probably looked as dumbstruck as he did.</p><p>This had to be some sick joke.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>also i'm listing all the sexualities of the members here because the 'everyone is gay' tag is technically a lie but they're all mlm<br/>chan - bi<br/>minho - gay<br/>felix - gay<br/>changbin - doesn't label himself<br/>jisung - gay<br/>hyunjin - bi<br/>seungmin - pan<br/>jeongin - queer</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. FRAY</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You [09:20]<br/>ily jinnie<br/>you’re amazing</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin [09:20]<br/>you only like me for my alcohol :(</p><p> </p><p>You [09:21]<br/>&lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>quick tw// homophobic language</p><p>nothing extreme like slurs but it is still present so read with caution. they occur in the final section of the chapter in italics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“And, your winner is,” Minho heard the host boom, his voice echoing throughout the stadium. His heart was pounding in his chest, thumping into overdrive. The whole stadium was silent in anticipation as the unbearable tension of the host opening the envelope settled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He’d known he’d done well. He’d seen it in the judges’ eyes as they scored him. He’d seen how proudly his coach had looked at him. He’d seen his family whooping and cheering from the front row, their faces beaming. And he’d seen Seungmin.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin, with a wide smile and tears in his eyes, on his feet and screaming his name. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>That didn’t help settle his nerves though. It wasn’t up to his parents, his sister or Seungmin. It was up to the judges and they could’ve easily seen someone better today. He watched intensely as the host raised his microphone to his lips again, inhaling before declaring, “Lee Minho!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And the whole stadium exploded into cheers. The words barely registered before his parents came barrelling into him, screaming, and exclaiming. He’d won… and none of it felt remotely real. As he left his parents’ bear hug, he saw Seungmin running up to him. He was crying and Minho realised that he’d begun to cry too. They met in a tight embrace, clutching each other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m so proud of you,” Seungmin exclaimed, his voice muffled by Minho’s shoulder.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I love you,” Minho announced, pulling away from the hug, “I’m in love with you, Min.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“W-Wha… Where did this come from?” Seungmin asked, his brain scattered. He kept his hands intertwined with Minho’s, holding on tightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Up there… I just realised… I don’t know maybe I’d known for a while before… but now, I know for sure. I love you,” Minho explained, wiping away a tear that snaked down his cheek, “I’m gonna kiss you now, okay?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two boys laughed quietly to each other, sniffling before Seungmin stopped him briefly. “What about all the cameras?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t care,” Minho shrugged, “Do you?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin shook his head, leaning in and kissing Minho. It was short, maybe a little overexcited and Minho being drenched in sweat probably didn’t help but he wouldn’t have changed anything else about it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Pulling away, Seungmin leant his forehead against Minho’s and whispered, “I love you too, Minho.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p>“Chan… I… um… I thought I made it clear that it was just gonna be a one-time thing,” Minho cringed, flushing red at the uncomfortable situation. Chan was still frozen in the doorway, snapping into action as Minho finished.</p><p>“No! This is… oh god… this is completely unrelated,” Chan blurted out, walking into the room and raising his hands before placing his head in his hands, “I’m Chaesun’s Dad.”</p><p>“Oh,” Minho said, suddenly laughing quietly at nothing really funny, “Oh. Okay… Well, I was <em>not</em> expecting that.”</p><p>Chan joined him in laughter, discomfort settling between the two boys. Minho walked over to a small bench, sitting down, and taking a swig from his water bottle. Chan took this as somewhat of an invitation to come inside, breaching the threshold but still keeping his distance.</p><p>This was surreal and Chan hadn’t quite processed the whole situation. He couldn’t believe that the guy he’d fucked barely two days ago was teaching his daughter ballet. And he couldn’t believe that he was having to bitch to him like some whiny parent.</p><p>“So, what actually brings you here?” Minho asked, crossing his legs, and leaning back against the wall. He seemed to stop in a moment of thought, cutting off Chan before he could answer. “Is it because of how I’m teaching the class?”</p><p>He knew. He knew that he was being hard on Chaesun. Chan nodded reluctantly, before taking in a breath and straightening up. He exhaled and began to speak. “It... um… Chaesun seems to not really agree with how things are being taught.”</p><p>“How so?”</p><p>“She thinks you’re picking on her… specifically,” Chan clarified, running his fingers through his hair. Minho scoffed, placing his water bottle on the floor. He didn’t appear as upset as Chan expected. Maybe he was used to pissed-off parents? Or maybe he just didn’t care? That second one didn’t feel right though, at least for Chan. He definitely would be annoyed if someone criticised how he taught things, especially when he’d been hired to do so.</p><p>“I’m not picking on your daughter, Chan,” Minho answered, and Chan exhaled with relief. Good. That cleared things up. All he’d have to do was ask Minho to go a bit easier on her and he could get out of here and focus on avoiding Minho as much as he possibly could. “Your daughter disrupts my class <em>constantly</em>. And so, I want to make sure she’s learning well. That’s why I make her retry certain moves and that’s why I’m a little hard on her.”</p><p>“Chaesun isn’t… she’s not disruptive,” Chan quickly replied. How dare Minho say that. How dare he imply that Chaesun was poorly behaved. Chan would never raise a girl like that. He expected Minho to maybe be a little abrasive judging by the uncomfortable circumstances but now, he was just downright disrespectful. Treating him like some stranger even after what happened. Minho laughed again and Chan’s brow furrowed further. He could feel his emotions bubbling up.</p><p>“Every parent thinks their child is perfect,” Minho countered, “I’m objective here… You’re not.”</p><p>“This is ridiculous. My little girl is well-behaved. She’s not disruptive,” Chan reaffirmed, feeling his face heat up and his arm movements become more dramatic. Minho sighed.</p><p>“Chan, yo-,”</p><p>“My daughter is not disruptive,” Chan repeated, his tone forceful.</p><p>“Seems like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Minho taunted, rolling his eyes, “I have classes to prepare for. If we’re done here, then can you please leave me be?”</p><p>“We aren’t done here,” Chan pointed out as Minho stood up to walk Chan over to the door. Minho stopped, leaning against the metal pole connected to the mirrored walls. “I think we are. You won’t change your mind and I don’t want to talk to someone so stubborn this early in the morning.”</p><p>“Hey!” Chan suddenly blurted out, his voice rising, “I’m the elder here. Treat me with some damn respect.” He made sure to control his voice towards the end, squeezing his hands into tight fists.</p><p>“Chan. I need you to leave,” Minho said firmly, opening the door and motioning him to leave. Chan grunted, exiting quickly, and closing the door behind him. Entering the hallway, Chan knocked his head against the wall and groaned. </p><p>What the hell was that? </p><p>Minho was totally out of line. Had that night really meant <em>nothing</em>? Or was he more uncomfortable than he’d let on? What was going on in Minho’s head?</p><p>After a few seconds of wallowing in the situation, he continued down the hallway and exited the dance studio quickly. As he left, he resolved that Chaesun <em>had</em> to get out of that class.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>The banging at Felix’s door was almost deafening, waking up a peacefully sleeping Changbin. Felix sighed, removing his hands from Changbin’s hair, and clambered off the bed towards the door. He’d been watching Changbin sleep for the past half hour, gently threading fingers through his hair and watching his soft lips gently exhale breaths. Waking up early was something Felix had always hated, but since he began living with Changbin, Felix began to appreciate the hour he got to stare at his beautiful boyfriend.</p><p>“Who the hell is that?” Changbin grunted, propping himself up on his arms and wiping his eyes, “What time is it?”</p><p>“Quarter past nine… and I have no clue,” Felix answered, pulling an oversized hoodie onto his shirtless body. Changbin whined and fell backwards into his mattress. “Fuuck.”</p><p>“Go back to sleep, Binnie,” Felix advised, quickly leaning over, and planting a kiss on his boyfriend’s forehead, “I’ll handle this.”</p><p>“Love you,” Binnie cooed, snuggling into his blankets as Felix left the room and entered the main room where the banging on the door was continuing. Felix quickly peered through the peephole before letting out a sigh and unlocking the door.</p><p>“The universe hates me,” Chan declared entering the apartment and brushing past Felix. He immediately made his way to the couch and collapsed into it.</p><p>“Umm... okay,” Felix responded, following Chan into the main room. “Is this to do with the meeting?” Chan hummed in response before letting out a whine. As he finished, the door to the boys’ shared bedroom opened and Changbin came into the living room. He was brushing the sleep from his eyes, raising his hand in a makeshift ‘hi’ for Chan.</p><p>“You woke me up asshole,” Changbin scolded, beginning to make himself a coffee in the kitchen. After Chan apologised half-heartedly, Felix repeated his question.</p><p>“Yes… it was to do with the meeting,” Chan clarified, looking to Felix who motioned for him to go on, “Chaesun’s asshole of a ballet teacher is none other than Minho.”</p><p>“<em>Minho</em> Minho?”</p><p>“Yes <em>Minho</em> Minho,”</p><p>Changbin immediately popped his head around the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen, his eyes wide. Felix couldn’t fight the little laugh that escaped.</p><p>“Please… I can’t handle it, Lix,” Chan groaned, placing his hands over his head as Felix bit his lower lip hard to stop the giggles.</p><p>“I’m so… sorry hyung. That’s so unfortunate,” Felix struggled, bursting into laughter as he finished, “Wow. That is really… really awkward.” Felix calmed down, meeting Chan’s gaze with his lip quivering. “You fucked your daughter’s dance teacher.” Now, he was a giggling mess.</p><p>“I’m gonna kill you, Lee Felix,” Chan growled, rolling onto his side. “It wasn’t just awkward… he was so rude.”</p><p>“He was?” Changbin asked, exiting the kitchen with a warm mug of coffee, and sitting down at the nearby breakfast bar. Felix was pressing a pillow to his mouth, muffling his laughter. Chan sat up and pressed his knees to his chest, leaning his chin on them.</p><p>“He called Chaesun disruptive,” Chan explained, “He’s totally picking on her and I told him that she wasn’t disruptive, and he was just rude to me as well. I knew it was gonna be awkward the moment I walked in there, but I owed it to Chaesun to get it done. I don’t know why he was so bitchy about it.”</p><p>“I’m totally on your side here, hyung,” Changbin started, sipping at his coffee, “But… it was probably just as awkward for him. You both have history since the whole one-night stand situation and you probably were being more irrational than you would’ve been if you hadn’t fucked him.”</p><p>“That’s fair,” Chan sighed, looking over to the boy drinking his coffee. He gave a sympathetic smile back.</p><p>“And… don’t punch me… we all know you can be a <em>little </em>forceful sometimes,” Felix added, cowering as he finished. Chan had lost his energy to scold Felix however, grumbling that he needed to get to work anyway.</p><p>“Thanks for letting me vent I guess,” Chan said, standing up, “Well, that’s mostly aimed at Binnie. Fuck you, Lix.”</p><p>“You love me really,” Felix beamed back, blowing a kiss, “And, as hilarious as this whole situation is, I’m sorry that it’s going down. You don’t deserve that… and Chaesun <em>really </em>doesn’t.”</p><p>“Don’t let this get in the way of that angel’s passion,” Changbin chipped in to which Felix nodded furiously in agreement. Chan opened the door, turning to the two boys and announcing, “I won’t. I’m gonna pull her out of the class and find another.”</p><p>With that, he left the apartment and Changbin let out a sympathetic ‘yikes’.</p><p>“Yikes is right,” Felix agreed, walking over to the boy, and straddling him on his lap. The younger boy placed his head on the sitting boy’s shoulder, pressing a gentle kiss to his neck. “Part of me feels a little responsible. I told him to go get laid.”</p><p>Changbin scoffed, carding his fingers through Felix’s uncombed hair before sliding his hands down Felix’s back and settling on his waist. “Literally <em>no one</em> could’ve predicted this. Channie-hyung is a victim of the universe’s cruel sense of humour.”</p><p>“See! You agree that it’s funny,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Minho collapsed onto the bench, his face still hot from the argument. Sighing, he slipped his phone out of his pocket and immediately searched his phone for Hyunjin’s name.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:13]</strong>
</p><p>help</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:14]</strong>
</p><p>u called for me?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:14]</strong>
</p><p>i have a problem</p><p>a big one</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:14]</strong>
</p><p>what’s up?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:14]</strong>
</p><p>i fucked the dad of one of my students</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:15]</strong>
</p><p>O</p><p>that is a problem</p><p>bIIIg conflict of interest</p><p>is that the right phrase?</p><p>i think it is</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:15]</strong>
</p><p>doesn’t matter but…</p><p>it gets worse</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:16]</strong>
</p><p>wow minho-hyung your life has fallen apart in one morning</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:16]</strong>
</p><p>his kid like HATES me and he came to complain</p><p>and he was so stubborn and annoying and i can’t believe i even slept with him</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:17]</strong>
</p><p>i’m guessing he’s hot and that was probably the reason</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:17]</strong>
</p><p>yeah he’s handsome…</p><p>...but he acted like an idiot</p><p>i can see where his daughter gets it from</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:17]</strong>
</p><p>wow</p><p>we are not holding back today</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:18]</strong>
</p><p>sorry i don’t mean it like that</p><p>...kinda</p><p>i’m just in a bad mood</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:18]</strong>
</p><p>that’s fair</p><p>your anger is valid… despite calling a 7 yr old an idiot</p><p>just wow what a situation you’ve got here hyung</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:18]</strong>
</p><p>tell me about it</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:18]</strong>
</p><p>so what are you gonna do abt it?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:19]</strong>
</p><p>no idea</p><p>nothing???</p><p>extra curricular teachers don’t really have to interact with parents</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:19]</strong>
</p><p>you could always kick her out of the class</p><p>like discreetly</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:19]</strong>
</p><p>no jinnie</p><p>absolutely not</p><p>never</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:19]</strong>
</p><p>okay okay okay</p><p>why so against it?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:20]</strong>
</p><p>just... no</p><p>no i’d never do that to a kid</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:20]</strong>
</p><p>okay got it</p><p>i can’t really provide a solution BUT</p><p>i can provide alcohol tonight at my apartment</p><p>if that’ll help ease things</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:20]</strong>
</p><p>ily jinnie</p><p>you’re amazing</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:20]</strong>
</p><p>you only like me for my alcohol :(</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:21]</strong>
</p><p>&lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Wow,” Jisung said, stunned and still holding the customer’s cup of coffee, “That is quite the predicament.” He placed it down on the side, careful not to spill it as Chan wiped down the nearby surfaces. Since telling Felix and Changbin, he’d started to become numb about the whole situation. Now, it was transforming into some uncomfortable anecdote that Chan would tell at polite dinner parties ten years in the future. He just needed to finalise the ending. “So, what are you gonna do about it?”</p><p>“I’m taking Chae out of the class,” Chan replied casually.</p><p>“Is that what Chae wants?”</p><p>“I think so? Chan answered truthfully, “She said she didn’t like him… so it seems like the right solution.”</p><p>Clicking the lid onto the coffee cup, Jisung brought it over to the service counter and handed it to the waiting customer with a friendly smile. Turning back to Chan, he began, “You should talk to her about it first.”</p><p>“Really? It sorta feels like a no-brainer,” Chan asked, checking the time on his phone. 10:30. Chae would be in school for a few more hours and then he could ask her. Chan was pretty certain she wouldn’t object. She hadn’t done ballet in that class long enough to care about the sudden change.</p><p>“Just ask her, hyung. Kids are weird and have weird reasons behind things,”</p><p>“Are you calling <em>my </em>Chaesun weird?”</p><p>“She is <em>pretty</em> obsessed with Twice,” Jisung countered jokingly, receiving a gentle shove from Chan as he walked over to finish wiping down the counters.</p><p>“Like you weren’t with Girls Generation at that age?”</p><p>“Fair point, fair point,”</p><p>As the conversation faded into the usual petty arguments, the bell to the cafe chimed and Jisung’s head whipped over to the entrance as a group of schoolgirls entered. They were all gathered around one’s phone, giggling wildly as they shuffled in formation to the counter.</p><p>“Not your man, Ji,” Chan teased, “I’ll take this.”</p><p>“He’s not my man,” Jisung fought back, blushing slightly.</p><p>“Okay, the man you’ve been pining over for months,” Chan corrected. Jisung subtly gave him the bird, careful to not accidentally flip off the incoming customers. As Chan finished taking their orders, he turned back to Jisung. “I really think you should ask him out.”</p><p>“No. No. No. No. No,” Jisung immediately said in response, “Have you seen him? And have you seen me?”</p><p>Chan scoffed, thinking for a moment before speaking again, “Yes, Hyunjin may be beautiful but you’re not so bad yourself-”</p><p>“Please don’t come onto me, Channie-hyung. I don’t think I can handle it,”</p><p>“That’s… That’s not where I was going… I was gonna say that everyone’s favourite ethereal fairy boy Lee Felix had a <em>huge </em>crush on you when you first met,”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“You… Oh fuck, you didn’t know that. Felix is gonna scalp me,”</p><p>“Of course, I didn’t fucking know that!” Jisung exploded, his voice hushed but powerful. He had a big self-satisfactory grin on his face, “Wow. Lee Felix… crushing on me.”</p><p>“Get over it. Binnie’s much more his type,” Chan brought the boy back down to Earth with a thud. “Anyway, as I was saying before… all of that happened,” He motioned to this whole situation with a still beaming Jisung, “You’re a cute guy and I’m sure Hyunjin can see that so, I don’t see the harm in asking him out.”</p><p>“The harm is he rejects me,” Jisung began.</p><p>“Well… yes but he can manage that and so can you,”</p><p>“And then he can never come to the cafe again. And then I’ll never see him again and then there’s not a chance we can even be friends. Oh god… and then I won’t be able to see that beautiful face ever again. And <em>we’ll </em>lose a loyal customer and-”</p><p>“Spiralling, Jisung,” Chan warned, placing his hands on the younger boy’s shoulders, “Don’t dwell on ‘what ifs’ or hypotheticals. Next time he comes in, just ask for his number. Then we can go from there, whether the answer’s yes or no.”</p><p>Jisung hummed, nodding his head slightly, “I guess you’re right, hyung. I don’t know why I’m taking dating advice from the guy fucking his kid’s teacher though.”</p><p>“I’m gonna put you in an air fryer,” Chan whispered, patting Jisung’s shoulders and walking away.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Before you get started on homework, Chae,” Chan called out to his daughter who was hurrying towards her room, clutching her backpack, “Can we have a talk?”</p><p>The small girl poked her head around the corner leading to their bedrooms, “Am I in trouble?”</p><p>Chan laughed quietly, shaking his head before walking over to the kitchen table and motioning for Chaesun to join him. The girl waddled over, sitting cross-legged on the wooden dining chairs. Chan cleared his throat and started, “I spoke to your ballet teacher, Minho, this morning.”</p><p>Chaesun nodded as Chan continued, “And, I think it might be best if you move ballet classes. I spent all day looking at these amazing classes that are super close by, they’re just not provided by the school. That’s the only difference. How does that sound?”</p><p>“Do I have to change classes?”</p><p>“I thought you didn’t like Minho,” If Chan had gone through that unbearable morning conversation for nothing, he’d spend the rest of the afternoon screaming into a pillow and then drink away his troubles with one of Changbin’s nice red wines.</p><p>“I don’t not like him… but I don’t like him either. That’s not the reason I want to stay though,” Chaesun explained, looking a little nervous at how pale her father had become. Chan looked at her to go on. “I met some really nice girls in that class… and I don’t want to lose that. I think I might have found some nice people at school.”</p><p>And Chan couldn’t argue at that. Ever since Chaesun had begun school, she’d found it a little harder to make friends with the other kids and it had absolutely broken Chan’s heart. There was no way he was going to take away Chaesun’s first real friends just as she’d gotten them.</p><p>“Please don’t make me leave the class, daddy,”</p><p>“No, of course not, Chae. You can stay, you can stay for as long as you want,” Chan quickly replied to reassure his daughter. The smile on her face grew again which Chan was completely malleable to. “You can go do your homework now.”</p><p>The girl smiled, hopping off the chair and into her room. Once he heard the slam of her door, Chan leaned back in his chair and sighed. Chaesun staying in the class meant that Chan was gonna see much more of Minho than he wanted to. But he’d do it.</p><p>For Chaesun.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Minho hadn’t expected what being in love was like. He’d heard about it in songs, he’d seen it in movies, he’d seen couples in real life. He thought he knew what love was but now that he had become fully immersed, it was indescribable.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was floating. It was wanting to walk a million miles just to be next to Seungmin. It was his cheeks hurting from smiling so hard. It was his fingers buzzing with electricity every time they held hands. It was understanding little looks, gazes, actions and feeling his heart swell when he understood them back. It was wanting to talk to him, and only him, the moment he woke up to the moment he went to sleep. It was sharing every little single minute thing just for the sake of sharing it with him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was nothing he’d ever thought it would be and it was everything he’d wanted it to be.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You were absolutely incredible today,” Seungmin whispered, stroking his fingers through Minho’s hair, and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. “I’ve never felt prouder of you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After the competition, Seungmin had insisted on taking Minho out to dinner to celebrate. Minho had just wanted to spend a night in with Seungmin, eating instant noodles and watching TV, but Seungmin had been so insistent that Minho just couldn’t say no. He could never say no to Seungmin. After finishing dinner, Seungmin kept his fingers locked with Minho’s and led him to a park. He wanted to stargaze and, of course, Minho wouldn’t say no.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I just want to stay like this forever,” Minho smiled, leaning his forehead to Seungmin’s. They were lying on the grass in the park, curled up with one another and pointing out constellations. Well, more like Seungmin pointing out constellations and Minho ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We can just stay out here until we’re tired,” Seungmin offered, running his fingers over Minho’s lips, “It’s so peaceful out here.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m not falling asleep in a park, Min,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well, we can do your plan and go back to your apartment… get some instant noodles and throw on a movie?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Minnie,” Minho kissed Seungmin’s lips, sliding their fingers together, “That sounds amazing. I wonder what genius thought of that?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin scoffed as Minho pressed another kiss to Seungmin’s lips and slowly sat up. Seungmin followed, helping Minho up and leading him through the park back towards Minho’s apartment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The noise of the city grew quieter and quieter as they reached a less busy area. The two boys kept their hands interlocked but Minho couldn’t help overthinking the small stares he got from strangers they passed. Every time he went to let go of Seungmin’s hand, the boy would keep holding on, almost saying ‘Don’t care about them’. Minho wished he didn’t care like Seungmin. For an eighteen-year-old, Seungmin felt so much wiser and more mature than Minho. He knew who he was and was completely unashamed about it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The street became almost empty as a few people straggled out of nearby bars and clubs, inebriated, and searching for cabs. They passed a small bar that was closing up with a drunken man being shooed out. He entered the street and pushed into the two boys, grunting, and turning back to them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Watch where you’re going, queers,” he muttered, rubbing his sleeve against his mouth. Seungmin stopped in his tracks and turned back to him. Minho could feel dread building in his stomach. He wanted to let go of Seungmin’s hand, but his boyfriend wasn’t having it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Right now, he wished he was back in the stadium and not afraid. Not afraid to show his love for Seungmin, to kiss him. Sure, the kiss was broadcast on television, but there was that detachment. He could escape the comments. He didn’t have to hear them. But right here, right now, he had to face them. And it made him feel completely worthless.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Excuse me,” Seungmin called out after the man who was leaning against a streetlamp, “What did you just say to my boyfriend and I?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His voice was clear, calm, and collected. He wasn’t afraid of comments like Minho was. Or if he was, he was doing a damn good job of not acting like it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You heard what I said, homo,” the man slurred, meeting Seungmin’s eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Let’s just go, Min. Ignore him,” Minho begged, tugging on his boyfriend’s arms. He didn’t want to hear any more of this. He couldn’t bear it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Listen to your boyfriend. Unless you want to be beaten like the fuckin’ worthless queers you are,” the man growled, growing closer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Fuck off, you bigot,” Seungmin retorted, his voice wavering slightly as the man grew closer. He was getting closer and closer to them and Minho was waiting for the punch. He was waiting for Seungmin’s scream. He just wanted to disappear and sink into the ground. The man stopped a few metres from them, looked them both dead in the eyes and spat out, “Rot in hell.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin finally yielded and turned back to walk home with Minho. He could hear the man shouting slurs as they continued to walk, and Minho desperately tried to shut them out. It was impossible. The rest of the walk was silent until they reached Minho’s apartment. Once he crossed the threshold, Minho immediately went to his bedroom. He could feel the tears he’d frantically tried to hold in pouring out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Minho! Are you okay?” Seungmin called after him, slipping off his shoes and following him into the bedroom.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was on his bed and he was sobbing. Sobs that shook his whole body and ripped their way out of his throat. Nothing like that had ever happened before. He’d spent his whole teenage years hiding who he was to avoid that, but it was inescapable. It was inevitable and it was devastating. Seungmin entered softly, wrapping his arms around Minho, and hushing him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why didn’t you just go?” Minho asked, his voice cracking. He was desperately trying to calm himself down and failing at every attempt. Seungmin kept his vice-like grip, kissing Minho’s head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry, Minho. I’m so sorry,” Seungmin hushed, stroking his fingers through Minho’s hair. “I just can’t stand people like that. You can’t let them get to you. They don’t matter. They’ll never matter.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How d-do you do it?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Huh?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How do you ignore them?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You just learn. I spent all of high school doing it,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“People said that to you in high school?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Worse,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho could feel his heart shatter into pieces at hearing that. Seungmin was so calm talking about it but Minho couldn’t bear the idea that people had been so cruel to his boyfriend. Seungmin was too good to be spoken to like that. He was too wonderful, caring, gentle and selfless.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m so sorry, Min,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s okay,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You didn’t deserve that,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I survived… and I found you,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I love you,” Minho whispered, curling his body into Seungmin, and resting his head against his shoulders. He could feel his tears staining his boyfriend’s shirt, but he knew Seungmin wouldn’t mind. Seungmin just continued to card his fingers through Minho’s hair and hush him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I love you too… so much,” Seungmin whispered, “I’m never gonna let that happen to you again.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m the older one here,” Minho laughed, sniffling, “I should be protecting you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We’ll protect each other,”</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you so much for reading!!</p><p>this seungmin/minho flashback storyline might feel a little out of nowhere rn but i promise it plays a pretty big role in the story &lt;3</p><p>i love y'all</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. BLUNT SCISSORS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“He kept coming up for refills and he complimented my coffee and was like ‘thanks for all the lattes’,”</p><p>“Maybe he is into you,”</p><p>“You think?”</p><p>“I don’t think anyone would compliment your coffee unless they liked you,”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is mostly a filler episode - sorry!!! i promise things will get exciting next chapter but this serves as a progression to those events</p><p>also, the situation with hyunjin atm is very frustrating so i hope all of you are looking after yourselves. it's been hard to be a stay recently with everything that's gone on in this last month but i will always stick with stray kids. they are wonderful group of talented and hard-working men who deserve the world. as for hyunjin and his hiatus, we can only hope he'll use it to take an incredibly well-deserved break and spend time with his family, friends and kkami. we'll be patiently waiting for his return.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, that’s basically everything,” Minho finished, bringing his mug of coffee up to his lips and sipping. Jeongin finally finished laughing and looked at Minho. “Wow, hyung, that’s… that’s rough.”</p><p>“Excuse my insensitive boyfriend,” Seungmin said loudly, glaring at Jeongin, “That sounds really awful Minho. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“It’s not too bad,” Minho lied, shrugging, and placing his mug down.</p><p>“Always the martyr,” Hyunjin chimed in, keeping his eyes fixed on his coffee cup with a small smile on his face. Minho rolled his eyes. “I’m not being a martyr… I’m just being a professional.”</p><p>“It’s nice to see you maturing, Min,” Seungmin pointed out, giving a genuine smile. A light pink dusted Minho’s cheeks. </p><p>“It’s about time I started.”</p><p>“I’ll second that,” Hyunjin teased, finishing his coffee. “I’m gonna get another refill. You guys want anything?” The boy’s eyes flicked over to the counter where a cute brown-haired boy was working diligently.</p><p>“You’re drooling, Jinnie,” Jeongin laughed, interlacing his fingers with Seungmin’s who chuckled slightly.</p><p>“Fuck off,” Hyunjin snapped back, picking up his cup and making his way over to the counter.</p><p>“Is that why he keeps coming here?” Minho asked, a smirk growing on his face watching Hyunjin wait in line.</p><p>“Jinnie’s been pining over that barista for months. I think his name’s Jisung, right?” Seungmin explained, looking over to Jeongin who nodded. The three boys watched Hyunjin as he made his way up to the counter, smiles growing on their faces.</p><p>“You’re back,” Jisung pointed out, grinning as Hyunjin slid his cup over the counter. The blonde boy felt his breath hitch as Jisung brushed his fingers over Hyunjin’s, taking the cup from his hands.</p><p>“You make great coffee,” Hyunjin smiled, leaning against the counter as Jisung rang him up. Jisung giggled, locking eyes. “I know I do.”</p><p>“I take it back now,”</p><p>“Too late… That’ll be 4500 won,”</p><p>“You should get loyalty cards,” Hyunjin suggested, sliding money over the counter.</p><p>“Mhm, maybe,” Jisung replied, beginning to make Hyunjin’s latte and trying not to make it too obvious how intensely he was paying attention to the measurements. “You don’t have to wait, Hyunjin. I can get it to your table.”</p><p>Hyunjin went to turn back to the table, stopping and whipping his head around to Jisung. “Thanks, Jisung… for the latte. All the lattes.”</p><p>As Hyunjin left, Jisung could feel his cheeks flush red. What he wasn’t so aware of was how red Hyunjin’s cheeks were too.</p><p>Despite the initial interest, Hyunjin’s endeavours weren’t as captivating as the three boys had hoped. This had led to Jeongin going to the bathroom, leaving Minho and Seungmin alone.</p><p>“I’m really sorry… about your whole situation,” Seungmin sympathised, breaking the silence.</p><p>“I really am fine with it. Don’t worry about me, Seungmin,” He was lying again.</p><p>“I have to worry about you,” Seungmin countered, causing Minho to quirk his eyebrow, “Who else will?”</p><p>“I can worry about myself,” Another lie.</p><p>“We dated for two years, hyung… I know you won’t,” Seungmin was still good as ever at recognising his lies.</p><p>“You really don’t have to. You have Jeongin to worry over,”</p><p>“I can worry over multiple people. I want the best for the people I love. It’s just… I hope this isn’t overstepping but Hyunjin told me this was the first time in a while,”</p><p>Minho flushed red and averted his eyes. “That’s not true.” The lies wouldn’t stop. It wasn’t just a while unless a few months counted as a while.</p><p>“Well… if hypothetically it was, this is a pretty bad first experience… so I’m sorry,”</p><p>“Thank you,” Minho whispered, still not looking at Seungmin. “But I can handle one parent.”</p><p>“Just… don’t push yourself. I don’t want… I just don’t want what happened before happening again,”</p><p>Minho could feel his stomach twist as Seungmin spoke. One of the ground rules he’d established was not mentioning the incident. Seungmin was pushing it, and Minho wasn’t sure how to react. His stomach wasn’t just twisting, it was starting to knot. It was time for him to do what he did best - push. </p><p>So, he did.</p><p>“That’s… It won’t happen again,” Minho clarified, meeting eyes with Seungmin, “Things are different now.”</p><p>“Good… I’m glad,”</p><p>Seungmin slipped his hand onto Minho’s, smiling warmly. The more he told Seungmin, the more he’d believe it himself.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’m gonna ask Hyunjin out,” Jisung declared, gripping a stack of plates, and walking over to the dining table. He placed three down in between neatly laid out knives and forks before grabbing some matches and going around the dining room lighting each candle.</p><p>Chan poked his head out from the kitchen, wiping his brow, “What made you decide?” He leaned back into his work, keeping careful watch of the food he was preparing. Jisung entered the kitchen, leaning against a countertop.</p><p>“Smells good in here,” Jisung pointed out, inhaling deeply, “I didn’t know you were a good cook.”</p><p>“You haven’t tried it yet. And it’ll be nothing compared to Felix’s,”</p><p>“None of us have anything on Felix. That boy <em>can </em>cook,”</p><p>“I’d like to branch out, but Chae hates any ‘fancy’ foods,”</p><p>“What constitutes fancy?”</p><p>“Anything that isn’t cup ramen or chicken nuggets,”</p><p>Jisung laughed at that, walking past the bubbling pot of jjigae. Beef and tofu swirled in the pan joined with various vegetables.</p><p>“It’s almost ready now, so can you call her?”</p><p>“Sure thing,” Jisung answered, grabbing two wine glasses, and bringing them through to the dining room as he called out Chaesun’s name. Once Chaesun had sat down, Chan brought through the pot and placed it in the middle of the table.</p><p>“Dig in guys,” Chan announced, sitting down, and pouring himself a glass of wine as Jisung and Chaesun began to fight over pieces of beef. “You never answered my question, Ji.”</p><p>“Hm?” Jisung asked, preoccupied with the food. He glanced over to Chan briefly who was smirking at the two ravenous people at his table.</p><p>“About Hyunjin. Why you’re gonna ask him out,”</p><p>“Is that Jisung’s boyfriend?” Chaesun asked, tucking into her food, and grinning widely. Chan felt his heart swell watching Chaesun eat. He couldn’t help but feel an immense feeling of pride whenever she liked his food. He took extra care in everything related to Chaesun, so when she was pleased, he couldn’t fight the sense of accomplishment. Even if things were rough for Chan, it always made him feel better when Chaesun was pleased.</p><p>“Jisung wishes he was,” Chan clarified, causing Jisung to playfully sulk. After staring daggers at Chan, he turned to Chaesun, “Not yet, Chae. But soon, soon.”</p><p>“Someone’s confident,” Chan teased, sipping at his wine.</p><p>“We had… a moment, I guess? Not really, but it felt… flirty,”</p><p>“Go on,”</p><p>“He kept coming up for refills and he complimented my coffee and was like ‘thanks for all the lattes’,”</p><p>“Maybe he is into you,”</p><p>“You think?”</p><p>“I don’t think anyone would compliment your coffee unless they liked you,”</p><p>Chaesun let out a loud giggle after Chan finished.</p><p>“<em>Anyway</em>,” Jisung began, raising his voice playfully, “I have it all planned out and everything.”</p><p>A look of curiosity grew on Chan’s face. “How?” Even Chaesun looked invested.</p><p>“I guess you’ll have to wait for Hyunjin to tell you when we’re dating,” Jisung bragged, leaning back in his chair. Chan scoffed and Chaesun started giggling again.</p><p>Chaesun eventually finished eating and Chan let her go play which she excitedly bounced away to do. This left the two boys to clean up dishes which Jisung bemoaned loudly about. Despite being 22 years old, Jisung was a 7-year-old like Chaesun at heart. He was probably desperate to go dance along to Twice songs, Chaesun’s post-dinner routine, but Chan was forcing him to be an adult. It was necessary though. Chan didn’t want Hyunjin to get together with Jisung only to realise, despite his good looks and charming attitude, he was a domestic nightmare.</p><p>“How’s it going?” Jisung asked, stacking plates, “with the reading?”</p><p>“Fine… I guess,” Chan answered, beginning to load the dishwasher with knives and forks. “All the scripts kinda sucked.”</p><p>“Maybe you’ll have to settle on the least terrible one,”</p><p>“I guess,” Chan answered, taking the plates from Jisung’s hands as he entered the kitchen. “Do you want one of Chaesun’s ice-creams while you’re in here?”</p><p>“Please!” Jisung quickly blurted out, widening his eyes, and pouting his lips.</p><p>“I feel sorry for Hyunjin already,” Chan chuckled, ruffling Jisung’s hair as he walked past.</p><p>“So, you do think he’ll say yes!”</p><p>“If asked by others I will firmly deny it… but you are kind of a catch, Ji. You’re funny, sweet, attractive,”</p><p>“Are you coming onto me?”</p><p>“I’d rather eat glass than date you, Jisung,”</p><p>“You’re too sweet to me,” Jisung giggled, kissing Chan on the cheek quickly and scuttling off to the living room.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Come in,” Minho called out, shifting his body towards the door and- “Oh, you.”</p><p>Chan stood awkwardly at the door, halfway in and halfway out. He let out a nervous smile, letting himself in as Minho crossed his arms. He promised his friends that he could handle an idiot like Chan, but he was seeing <em>way</em> too much of him right now.</p><p>“I just wanted to talk for a little bit,” Chan explained, still hanging by the door. Minho didn’t even want to hear him out. He was over all of this.</p><p>Seeing Chan again had sealed it. It had been the opening of the floodgates because now, well the flood was coming.</p><p>“Do we really have to?”</p><p>“I’m jus-,”</p><p>“Look, Chan, I don’t really know what’s going on with all of this and frankly, I don’t care anymore. Maybe that makes me an asshole, I don’t know but <em>this</em>,” He blurted out, motioning between him and the shocked man at the door, “just is too much for me right now. I don’t know if it’s about that night, which I think we should both be trying to forget, or if it’s about Chaesun, but I don’t care. If Chaesun has a problem, take her out of the class or don’t, just please, can we stop trying to fix this or resolve things because it only makes things worse between the two of us.”</p><p>And Minho wasn’t even sure what he was saying anymore. He’d fully succumb to his emotions and was just letting them pour out. So much for having matured or being okay about this. </p><p>There was nothing okay about this.</p><p>And he knew he was hurting Chan, he could see it in his face, but he couldn’t stop because Chan was hurting him. Chan hurt him every time he saw his face and he didn’t even know the reason why. He just had to block Chan from his life because the thoughts that were bubbling up to the surface were too much.</p><p>He had to push them away. He had to push Chan away. Far, far away.</p><p>“I’m over this and you should be too,” Minho finished, exhaling heavily. His face had gotten redder as he’d spoken and now, Chan stood awkwardly in the door and Minho felt fucking humiliated.</p><p>Utterly fucking humiliated.</p><p>And so, Chan left. </p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan couldn’t even believe what had just happened. He’d come to apologise and set things right with Minho but that had massively backfired. He could feel his stomach twisting at the thought of Minho being unfair to Chaesun because of this. This whole situation was crashing down, and it was threatening to take Chaesun with it. That had gone worse, worse than last time. He didn’t even know how it could’ve. He felt worthless and like a complete idiot. Of course, he should’ve just dropped it. He didn’t have to do any of it, and yet he did. He didn’t have to go back and apologise, but he did. </p><p>And it had completely backfired. How was he ever going to be civil with Minho acting like that?</p><p>He was eventually snapped out of his thoughts by a smiley woman calling out to him. Chan stopped, turning to see a youthful woman in about her mid-30s approaching him. She had her black hair pulled back in a messy ponytail with a bright smile on her face.</p><p>“Hi! You’re Chaesun’s dad, right?” she asked, stopping a few feet from him.</p><p>Chan nodded, assuming this was either a teacher or a mother of another kid. “Yeah, my name’s Chan.” He outstretched a hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”</p><p>She shook back. “Eunha. I’m Miyoung’s mom.”</p><p>Miyoung. Chan recognised that name. Miyoung. And then it hit him. Miyoung was one of Chaesun’s friends from ballet class. She’d brought her up a few times and seemed to be really fond of her. With this knowledge, Chan straightened up and put on his best charming parent face. No more Minho thoughts. Chan would <em>not </em>jeopardise this friendship.</p><p>“Oh! I’ve heard a lot about your daughter,” he smiled, maybe lying a little bit but Chaesun never really spoke about her friends.</p><p>“All good things, I hope,”</p><p>Chan laughed politely, “Yes, of course.”</p><p>“Anyway, I was just coming over to talk to you about the school dance. Has Chaesun mentioned it?” She hadn’t. Chan didn’t want to lie too much, so he shook his head.</p><p>“Oh, well it’s traditional for parents to help out with planning the dance and I’m head of the PTA so I’m in charge of recruiting people,” Eunha explained and Chan knew where this was going. He didn’t particularly want to help out as he was already busy enough with the coffee shop and trying to get roles booked but Eunha was the mother of one of Chaesun’s friends. One of the friends that Chaesun had felt confident enough to bring up to Chan. Maybe he’d have to suck it up and just agree. “So, can I count on you helping out? Some people are a little hesitant, but I promise it’s actually pretty fun.”</p><p>As she spoke, she kept this charming smile on her face. Chan felt like it was impossible to say no. “Sure, count me in.”</p><p>“That’s great! Thank you so much, Chan,” Somehow her smile grew even larger when Chan agreed. She pulled out her phone and looked back up to Chan. “Is it okay if I have your number? There’s a group chat for the dance.”</p><p>Chan spied the wedding ring on Eunha’s hand and laughed to himself, agreeing to give Eunha his number. She quickly added his number to her phone before saying goodbye and walking away with her still bright beaming smile. The moment she was out of sight, Chan left out a little groan. As he made his way back to the car, he heard his phone chime and saw a notification that he’d been added to a group chat called ‘SCHOOL DANCE’ followed by an egregious amount of emojis. At the same time, a message from Felix popped up on his screen.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>howd it go?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>Terrible. Like actually one of the worst human interactions I’ve ever had.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>oh...</p><p>i’m so sorry, hyung :(</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>To add insult to injury, I got roped into planning a school dance.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>that’s fun!!! what do you mean??</p><p>omg i want to be a dad just so i can plan dances</p><p> </p><p>At least Felix was providing some distraction right now. Chan needed that.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>You’re kidding right?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>…..no</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>You continue to surprise me every day, Lix.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>planning dances is so fun!</p><p>you get to do all the colours and decorations and ugh</p><p>my gay heart swells &lt;3</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>Don’t freak out…</p><p>but do you want to help out?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>afbgeygewfwe</p><p>YES YES YES YES</p><p>omg thank you so much channie-hyung!!!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>I’ve never seen someone keyboard smash over planning a school dance.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>i’m gonna plan the FUCK out of this dance</p><p> </p><p>Chan laughed to himself, rolling his eyes at Felix before switching over to a chat with Eunha.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>Hi Eunha! I was just wondering if it was okay if one of my friends came to help out with the dance?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Eunha [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>That’s totally fine!</p><p>You’re doing my job for me, Chan :)))</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>He might bring his boyfriend along to help but I’m not certain.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Eunha [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>The more the merrier!</p><p>See you around.</p><p> </p><p>After closing that chat, he went back to his conversation with Felix.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>where did u go hyung??</p><p>i’m bored</p><p>hyuuuuuuuuung</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:28]</strong>
</p><p>I’m back.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:28}</strong>
</p><p>WHERE WERE YOU??</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:28]</strong>
</p><p>I was asking Eunha, she’s the PTA head, if you could help out.</p><p>You’re all set.</p><p>And Changbin can come along too.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:29]</strong>
</p><p>yayayayaayay</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>As much as he teased him, Chan hated shifts when Jisung wasn’t working. Things were a lot more boring when Jisung wasn’t around… and a lot less quiet. He spent most of his shift wiping down tables and taking orders, the repetition getting to him. He was finishing taking out the trash when he walked back into the cafe and saw Hyunjin waiting at the counter, picking his nails nervously. He looked up as Chan came up to the counter and his face faltered a bit. Chan could see his eyes flicking around the cafe, searching for something.</p><p>“Jisung’s not in today,” Chan teased, grabbing Hyunjin’s attention whose cheeks immediately flushed pink. The barista bit his lip slightly to bite down the small laughs. He’d been pretty sure that Hyunjin liked Jisung back and moments like these were proof of it.</p><p>“I… That’s not why I’m here,” Hyunjin stuttered out, not meeting Chan’s gaze. “I just want a latte.”</p><p>Chan felt a little bad about teasing Hyunjin and after seeing the boy’s red face, he decided to stop. The last thing he’d want to do is ruin Jisung’s chances by humiliating Hyunjin. With that in mind, he created Hyunjin’s latte with the same care that Jisung took and decided to add some flourish. He came up to Hyunjin’s table, placing the latte down along with a small piece of folded paper. Hyunjin took the latte with a ‘thanks’ and picked up the paper.</p><p>“What’s this?”</p><p>“Jisung’s schedule,”</p><p>“Oh,” Hyunjin whispered, pocketing the paper, “Thank you.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Chan smiled, “I’ll see you around.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“This is gonna be amazing,” Felix hummed, unbuckling his seat belt, and hurrying out of the car. Chan rolled his eyes, throwing his keys in his pocket.</p><p>“What is wrong with your boyfriend?” Chan asked, turning to Changbin who was pulling a beanie over his head. The two looked out the window to see Felix grinning and urging them to hurry up.</p><p>“It’s cute,” Changbin defended, getting out of the car, and walking over to Felix who quickly kissed him on the cheek. Chan followed, ushering them towards the gym which had a few parents filing in and out.</p><p>“I hope we have some freedom,” Felix wondered, slipping his fingers into Changbin’s, “I have a <em>lot </em>of ideas.”</p><p>“You just found out yesterday, how do you already have ideas?” Chan asked.</p><p>“I’m a creative, Channie-hyung. And, Changbin helped me,”</p><p>Chan’s eyebrows shot up as he turned to Changbin who was avoiding eye contact. Felix was nuzzling against Changbin lovingly whilst the boy looked like he wanted to disappear forever.</p><p>“I… It’s a cute idea, okay? I can look like <em>this</em>,” He explained, motioning to his all-black outfit, “And enjoy planning a dance.”</p><p>“It’s sexy how much you want to plan an elementary school dance, baby,”</p><p>“Please, Lix. Never say that again,” Chan interrupted, pushing through the door to the gym. There were about 15 other people in the room, all talking politely. Changbin spotted a table of snacks and began to make his way over, planting his feet and intending to not move for the rest of his life. There was a mic stand where Eunha and a few women were talking. She noticed Chan and gave a polite wave which he returned. Felix kept his arm interlinked with Chan’s, saying ‘hi’ to as many parents as he could. Felix was naturally gregarious and incredibly disarming. He was a joy to meet. Everyone agreed on that sentiment.</p><p>“Okay!” Eunha called out through the mic, her voice ringing throughout the gym, “If we can all quiet down and get started!”</p><p>The talking settled as everyone turned to face Eunha. She was standing confidently and holding a small blue bucket.</p><p>“In my hands are the potential options for this year’s dance. We’ll be doing a vote… as usual. So please, put your hand up when I call out the theme you want.”</p><p>She continued to talk, declaring the four possible themes for the dance. Fantasy, space, retro and ocean. Chan had to admit that despite his initial hesitation, the thought of planning a retro-themed dance sounded pretty fun. Eunha called out the themes one by one, counting the number of hands raised.</p><p>5 for Fantasy. 4 for Space. 7 for Retro. 3 for Ocean.</p><p>“Well! There we have it. A retro dance!” Eunha declared excitedly. Everyone politely clapped as Eunha stepped down so another woman could climb up. She cleared her throat and began to speak into the mic. “Okay, now we’re going to split everyone up into subsections. So, if you hear your name, please walk over to the designated area.”</p><p>She then announced the subsections - decorations, construction, food, drink, flyers, and supplies. Felix was placed in the decoration section, waltzing over to a group of mothers whilst tying his blonde hair up and introducing himself with a large smile. Changbin found himself in construction, which he looked pretty pleased about. And Chan, well Chan’s name still hadn’t been called. Eventually, the centre of the gym grew smaller and smaller until Chan seemed as though he was the only one left. Was he really gonna have to do supplies alone?</p><p>And then he saw Minho.</p><p>And everything fell apart. And he felt tiny. He felt as though the universe was just about to collapse in on itself because of course, Minho would be helping out and of course, they would be paired together. Life was one big practical joke played on Chan.</p><p>Just as Chan and Minho met eyes, Eunha announced their names and asked for them to gather by the snack table. He could see Minho’s face sink and his eyes widen. He could see his face twist into a sour expression, and he could see him freeze up. Chan felt his body freezing too. This was a nightmare.</p><p>He didn’t bother moving.</p><p>And neither did Minho.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Eunha, can I have a word with you?” Minho asked, looking around to make sure they were alone.</p><p>“Sure thing, Minho,” Eunha answered, giving a smile.</p><p>“I don’t think I can do this. Is it okay if I drop out?” Minho was praying she’d say yes. He couldn’t handle this. He could barely handle being in the same room as Chan, but they’d have to be working together. He wouldn’t cope. Fate was pushing them together like some sick game and Minho could feel himself cracking under the pressure.</p><p>“That’s a shame. How come?”</p><p>Obviously, he couldn’t mention Chan. He had to come up with some sort of excuse… but his mind was utterly blank.</p><p>“I… I just don’t think it’s really for me anymore,”</p><p>“Look, Minho, I can understand you getting cold feet. This isn’t exactly a small commitment… but we need staff members here. Not just for planning but also for chaperoning,”</p><p>Minho nodded and realised that there was really no getting out of this.</p><p>“I understand,”</p><p>“You do? Oh, that’s great,”</p><p>“Sorry for bothering you,” Minho apologised, shuffling away awkwardly towards a side wall, and intending to hide for the rest of the night. As he rested his back on the wall, he could hear the screeching. He could feel the collision. He could feel the thoughts coming up. The screams. Seungmin’s screams.</p><p>He thought they’d have gone by now.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“What the hell was that all about?” Felix asked, his tone still fairly light, “You just stood there like an idiot before huffing off.” He’d broken away from his group of mothers to find Chan at the snack table, wallowing. Changbin had followed him too, joining the boys.</p><p>“The universe hates me,” His voice was utterly devoid of emotion.</p><p>“It’s just supply duty, hyung,” Changbin pointed out.</p><p>“No… that’s not it,”</p><p>The two boys motioned for him to go on. He looked up at them, face pale and lifeless. “That’s Minho. The Minho I slept with and the Minho who fucking hates me,”</p><p>“Okay, yeah that is really unfortunate, hyung,” Felix laughed, covering his mouth. Changbin pushed Felix away gently and went over to rest his hand on Chan’s shoulder, stroking gently.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Chan,”</p><p>“I can’t do this anymore,” He grumbled, feeling tears prick the corners of his eyes. He was <em>not</em> going to cry at a school dance meeting. Sighing, he looked around to see the two boys trying to comfort him. Felix had stopped laughing once he saw how upset Chan was by the situation. Running his fingers through Chan’s hair, he spoke up again:</p><p>“Do they serve alcohol at these things? I think you need a strong drink,”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you so much for reading :))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. TANGLE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Thanks, Lix. You’re really wonderful, you know that?”</p><p>“Of course, I do,” Felix laughed, giving a quick kiss to Chan’s head.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hi all! </p><p>i just wanted to preface by firstly saying thank you so much for all the support and lovely messages you've given me. it means the world and i love hearing your thoughts.</p><p>secondly, with the re-opening of schools and colleges in the uk, it means that i will have significantly less time to write and edit. what this means for two left feet is that, i will continue to update regularly but i can't promise that the chapters will come out at the rate they have been. i hope you can understand!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Minho felt like a high schooler again. This was peak 15-year-old Minho. The thoughts hadn’t stopped and now, he was pressed up against the side of a toilet cubicle, trying to fight the tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. He thought he could handle this. He was certain. Chan was just one parent. Why was this tearing him apart? Why was he thinking of the accident? Why was everything falling apart around him?</p><p>And why couldn’t he fix it?</p><p>Shakily, he dialled Seungmin’s number.</p><p><em> “Hello?” </em> Seungmin’s voice called out from the phone. Minho sniffled, breathing heavily, and cleared his throat. <em> “Minho, are you okay?” </em></p><p>And there was no use pretending anymore. Not with Seungmin.</p><p>“No,” Minho broke down and felt his cheeks become stained with tears.</p><p>
  <em> “What’s wrong? What happened? You can talk to me. Do you want me to come over?” </em>
</p><p>“I’m not at home right now,” Minho choked out, wiping his eyes with his sleeves. “I’m at the school.”</p><p><em> “I’m coming there now,” </em> Minho heard the rustling on the other end of the line.</p><p>“No, no. Don’t worry. I shouldn’t have called. It’s unfair to make you worry,”</p><p>
  <em> “I can’t stop myself from worrying, hyung. I won’t come though. Just… please tell me you’re safe.” </em>
</p><p>“I’m safe,” Minho whispered, swallowing hard.</p><p>
  <em> “What happened to you?” </em>
</p><p>“I lied to you… and everyone,” Minho began, his voice whimpering, “I lied to myself too. I thought I could handle this Chan situation and… I can’t.”</p><p>
  <em> “What’s got you suddenly like this?” </em>
</p><p>“You know that school dance thing I was helping out with?” Minho began. Seungmin hummed over the line, “Chan’s there… and we’re gonna be working together.”</p><p>
  <em> “And that’s what’s got you like this?” </em>
</p><p>“Kind of… I started thinking about everything that happened,” Minho admitted, and he could practically picture Seungmin’s face shift.</p><p>
  <em> “Oh. I’m so sorry, Minho… I’m so completely sorry,” </em>
</p><p>“It’s not your fault,” Minho answered, and he could hear Seungmin’s response in his head, but Seungmin stayed quiet.</p><p>
  <em> “Is there no way you can get out of this dance?” </em>
</p><p>“I tried,”</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry,” </em>
</p><p>“No, it’s okay. I just… I just wanted to call you and… I’ll manage,”</p><p>
  <em> “You don’t have to. This is troubling you,” </em>
</p><p>“Maybe it’ll be good for me. I’ve spent a year running from it, maybe this will inspire me to face it,”</p><p>
  <em> “Please, be safe. And no more lying. I need to know you’re okay,” </em>
</p><p>“I promise,”</p><p>
  <em> “I love you, Minho,” </em>
</p><p>“I love you too, Seungmin,”</p><p>The hang-up tone rang in Minho’s ears. He’d stopped crying although he could sense his eyes were puffy. Exiting the cubicle, his suspicions were confirmed with his blood-shot eyes and harsh red cheeks. As he splashed water on his face, he thought back to what he’d said on the phone.</p><p>
  <em> Maybe this will inspire me to face it. </em>
</p><p>Pushing away didn’t work. It was a temporary relief. Win the battle, lose the war. </p><p>He’d spoken about maturing. </p><p>It was time for him to actually do it.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Why don’t you just quit, Channie-hyung?” Felix asked, stroking Chan’s arm softly. After being briefed, Eunha had announced that they would meet in a few days to begin planning. Felix and Changbin had come back to Chan’s house, worried for him and intending to make him feel better. Currently, Changbin was keeping Chaesun entertained whilst Felix was sitting with Chan on the couch.</p><p>“Eunha is the mother of one of Chae’s friends. I can’t,” Chan explained, “Chae doesn’t have many friends… I don’t want to ruin this for her.”</p><p>Felix nodded and nuzzled his head into Chan’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. This really fucking sucks.”</p><p>They both laughed quietly together, sitting in silence with Felix continuing his gentle strokes. It was subtle at first, but Chan felt a stray tear snake it's way down his cheek.</p><p>And then he was properly crying, and Felix was hushing Chan quietly, fingers running over Chan’s forearms.</p><p>“It’s not just Minho isn’t it?”</p><p>Chan nodded, sniffling. “This is embarrassing.”</p><p>“Shh, no it’s not. It’s not embarrassing… You can talk to me,” Felix whispered, nestling Chan’s head under his.</p><p>“This whole thing… It was just sort of the breaking point,” Chan choked out, his breaths shaky, “There’s this and… money’s getting difficult. Feels like everything’s crumbling.”</p><p>He hated sharing this. He hated people feeling sorry for him, but Chan was over burying things. He was overburdening himself.</p><p>“We can figure something out,” Felix hushed, “I can always lend you some money. YouTube’s been paying well recently.”</p><p>“No, please don’t do that, Lix,” Chan assured. The last thing he would do is take Felix’s money. It wasn’t his problem.</p><p>“I want to… I love you and Chae more than anything in the world. You guys deserve to be happy,” Felix fought but sensing how stubborn Chan was, he pulled back, “Are there no scripts that interest you?”</p><p>“I haven’t got an audition in months. I get money from the cafe and some from my mom every month and that’s it,”</p><p>“You’re a really good actor, hyung. You’ll get a role soon. I know it,”</p><p>Chan sniffled, whispering, “Thanks, Lix. You’re really wonderful, you know that?”</p><p>“Of course, I do,” Felix laughed, giving a quick kiss to Chan’s head.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Minho!” Seungmin screamed, rain and tears pouring down his face. The red lights from the ambulance flared as he stumbled over to the vehicle. He could see the stretcher going into the ambulance and he could see him. He could see him reaching out. He could see the blood. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Minho!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Seungmin jolted upwards in bed, breathing shakily with tears pooling in his eyes. The next thing he knew, they were coming, dripping down his face. Seungmin could feel Jeongin moving next to him before he eventually got up.</p><p>“Min?” Jeongin asked groggily, sitting up and turning on the bedside light. Seungmin was hunched over his knees, crying quietly. Jeongin snaked his arm around Seungmin, pulling him into a hug as the boy began to cry heavily.</p><p>“Another one?” Jeongin asked as Seungmin nodded his head, crying into the younger’s shoulder. Jeongin gently carded his fingers through Seungmin’s hair, hushing him softly. “It’s okay, Seungmin. It’s okay.”</p><p>The crying boy’s whole body was shaking as sobs tore through him. Jeongin stayed with him the entire time, gently running his hands through Seungmin’s hair and kissing his head. This continued for about twenty minutes as Seungmin eventually calmed down, still saying in Jeongin’s arms.</p><p>“I’m gonna make you some tea, okay?” Jeongin whispered, linking his fingers with Seungmin.</p><p>“You should go back to sleep,” Seungmin suggested which Jeongin immediately contested. “I’m not doing that.”</p><p>Seungmin knew he wouldn’t. This was their routine by now. There was no use fighting Jeongin. He wouldn’t give up.</p><p>“You don’t have to stay up for me,” Seungmin tried again, nestling his head into Jeongin.</p><p>“I know… but I want to. I’ll wait until you fall asleep,”</p><p>And Seungmin could’ve started crying again because wow, he didn’t deserve Jeongin at all.</p><p>“I love you. So much, Innie. More than you know,”</p><p>“I love you too,”</p><p>Seungmin stayed in Jeongin’s arms, letting the younger boy soothe him back to sleep. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Slipping a hairband off his wrist, Hyunjin quickly tied his hair up and pushed on the wooden door to enter the cafe. As he’d walked, his eyes had kept flicking to the schedule Jisung’s co-worker had handed him and he was praying it was right. Seeing Jisung never failed to improve Hyunjin’s day.</p><p>After receiving the schedule, his face had blushed heavily, and he’d left quickly after that. He couldn’t tell whether Jisung’s co-worker had noticed the way Hyunjin’s eyes lingered or whether Jisung had said something. He could only hope that Jisung felt the same way and… someday he’d ask him out.</p><p>The smell of coffee hit Hyunjin instantly as his eyes immediately shot to the counter to see… Jisung.</p><p>The schedule was right.</p><p>Jisung was leaning against the counter on his phone, his lips in a small pout puffing out his cheeks. Hyunjin couldn’t suppress the small smile that formed as he walked up to the counter, clearing his throat to announce himself.</p><p>“Oh!” Jisung quickly shot up, standing straight and meeting Hyunjin’s eyes, “Hi… how are you?”</p><p>“Good,” Something was off. He watched as Jisung’s finger fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “What can I get you today?”</p><p>“The usual, please,” Hyunjin replied, his smile faltering as he scanned back up to Jisung’s face. A false grin, more like a grimace. Yeah, something was really off. Hyunjin could feel his stomach twisting. Why was Jisung acting like this today? Had his friend said something?</p><p>Oh God, he had. He’d said something to Jisung and now things were awkward. It sort of made sense… Jisung could’ve been straight. Hyunjin had assumed wrong obviously. His gaydar had always been a little defective. Sliding the money across, Hyunjin walked over to his usual waiting spot and pulled his phone out.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:22]</b>
</p><p>so... </p><p>i think jisung might be straight</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jeongin [10:22]</b>
</p><p>fuck</p><p>i’m sorry, jinnie</p><p>that’s annoying as hell</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:22]</b>
</p><p>it’s fine</p><p>i can add him to the list of straight boys i’ve fallen for</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jeongin [10:23]</b>
</p><p>you’ve had multiple?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:23]</b>
</p><p>every mlm dude has</p><p>you havent????</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jeongin [10:23]</b>
</p><p>….no</p><p>seungmin's the only boy i've ever fallen for </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:23]</b>
</p><p>ah so pure innie :))</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jeongin [10:24]</b>
</p><p>hey! </p><p>i’m not pure :(</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:24]</b>
</p><p>pure as the driven snow</p><p>≧◠ᴥ◠≦</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Jeongin [10:24]</b>
</p><p>allow me to tell you what seungmin and i did this morning in the shower then</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [10:25]</b>
</p><p>NOPE</p><p>i’m leaving</p><p> </p><p>As Hyunjin put his phone down, he heard Jisung’s small steps come towards his seat. Hyunjin looked up to see the brown-haired boy approaching who seemed even more hesitant than before. Hyunjin gave a polite smile, trying not to feel his heart breaking in his chest.</p><p>“Here, Hyunjin,” Jisung mumbled shakily, placing the latte down on the table.</p><p>“Thank you,” The blonde boy replied, picking up the coffee and warming his hands with it. He gave a genuine smile, trying to ease the awkwardness between the two.</p><p>“And… this is for you too,” Jisung spoke softly, handing a small piece of card over to Hyunjin.</p><p>“Oh? Um…,”</p><p>“It’s a loyalty card… like you wanted,” Jisung blushed heavily, his voice growing quieter as he spoke. Hyunjin felt his heart jump in his chest as he picked up the card. “I-Thank you, Jisung.”</p><p>Hyunjin chuckled as Jisung nodded and quickly walked away. Hyunjin was about to ask if he wanted to stay and talk but by the time he’d looked up, Jisung was gone. The card was small and hand-cut with pretty writing decorating it. It read ‘HYUNJIN’S LOYALTY CARD’ with cute doodles and sketches littering the surface as well as 10 circles with one stamped out. The tenth circle read ‘FREE COFFEE’. The smile on Hyunjin’s face grew as he further inspected the card. He could sense the intense amount of care and effort put into it and now he understood why Jisung was nervous.</p><p>And then he turned over the card.</p><p>And his heart <em> really </em> did jump. On the back was a series of small numbers and two words written with the same care that had been put into the whole card.</p><p>‘CALL ME’.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“In your hands,” Eunha announced, her voice filling the gym, “is a checklist of what you will need to complete by the end of today. We’re on a pretty tight schedule so try and complete as much as you can today! So, let’s get started!”</p><p>Chan looked down at the piece of paper in his hands with a long list of items Minho and he had to obtain. This would take a while, which meant more one on one time with Minho. Eunha’s voice guided the volunteers to begin meeting their groups and reluctantly, Chan began to search for Minho.</p><p>“Chan,” a voice called out, not loud enough to be a shout, “Over here.”</p><p>Minho leaned against a wall of the gym, clutching the same piece of paper Chan was holding. He gave a weak smile, incredibly forced, as Chan walked over.</p><p>“Hi… how are you?” Minho asked, avoiding eye contact. This was unbearable. Chan felt his whole body cringing.</p><p>“Let’s just get through this as quick as we can. I think that’s best for both of us,” Chan responded, ignoring Minho’s question, “I’ll meet you at the craft store and we can begin there.”</p><p>“I… um… I don’t have a car,” Minho admitted, his face flushing. </p><p>Of course, he didn’t.</p><p>Chan and Minho clambered into the car, both remaining silent. Minho typed the directions of the craft store into his phone and slotted it into one of Chan’s cup holders so he could read it.</p><p>“Thanks,” Chan muttered, turning on the ignition and starting the car. As the car started up, the radio came with it, playing the most recent disc that had been used. </p><p>Oh God, it was one of Chaesun’s. </p><p>Before Chan could turn off the radio, ‘Feel Special’ began to play quietly in the car. Chan flushed red, going to turn it off before feeling a hand on his wrist. He met eyes with Minho who slowly let go of Chan’s arm and apologised.</p><p>“I really like that song,” Minho spoke up, “Can we keep it?”</p><p>Wow, Chan did not peg Minho for a Twice fan. They sat quietly, driving to the store as the album played through its tracks. The whole time Minho sang along quietly. The tension between the two had dissipated slightly but it was far from bearable.</p><p>“I didn’t see you as a Twice fan,” Minho pointed out, picking at his nails.</p><p>“They’re Chaesun’s albums. She’s obsessed,” Chan explained, looking over to Minho who had started to become embarrassed, “They make good songs though. A few of my friends are obsessed.”</p><p>As he spoke, his mind wandered back to Felix and Jisung drunkenly performing Fancy at a karaoke bar one Saturday night.</p><p>“My friend Felix got her into them a few years ago and she’s been hooked ever since. All the merch is starting to create a pretty big dent in my bank account thought,” Chan laughed, realising how naturally this conversation was coming. He was stupid to be so intent on silence with Minho. They were both adults. They could have conversations like adults.</p><p>“Yeah, albums are expensive as hell. I had a pretty big collection when I was a teenager,” Minho shared, looking out the window at the passing buildings. Chan couldn’t help thinking how pretty Minho’s side profile was, the light reflecting off his face perfectly. He could acknowledge he was attractive right? That didn’t have to mean anything.</p><p>“Of who?” Chan asked, his tone teasing and trying to move his mind away from Minho’s pretty nose. Minho scoffed and laughed quietly. “I don’t know. Not a lot of girl groups. My parents were already beginning to assume I was gay, so a collection of girl group albums didn’t exactly scream straight.”</p><p>“Straight guys like girl groups,” Chan countered.</p><p>“Straight guys don’t do Girls Generation choreos in their room,” </p><p>The two of them laughed, falling into a comfortable silence as they pulled up to the craft store. Chan couldn’t help feeling pleased that him and Minho were getting along.</p><p>The two boys entered the store, dividing up the list and then splitting up themselves. Chan scanned the rows, looking for craft paper as Minho went to the other end of the store. It was fairly quiet, with only a few other people walking around the store. After about 10 minutes, Chan and Minho met back up to share what they’d found. Minho was clutching large bundles of fairy lights, dumping them into Chan’s shopping cart. What then followed was dangerous amounts of glitter being placed next to the lights.</p><p>“Shit, that’s a lot of glitter,” Chan chuckled, watching as Minho placed the sixth cup of glitter into the cart.</p><p>“You can never have enough glitter,” Minho fought, remaining proud about his decision.</p><p>“I feel sorry for the school janitors,” Chan teased, wheeling the cart down the aisles as Minho explained he was going to find some paint. Chan looked over Minho’s supplies, laughing to himself. It was nice seeing another side to Minho. So far, he’d seen intimidating Minho and asshole Minho. Glitter Minho was by far his favourite.</p><p>Chan wheeled the cart around the aisle to a more open part of the store and saw Minho picking up a can of purple paint. He read the label and smiled softly, gripping the handle of the can. As he turned, he crashed into a man who was walking past. He heard Minho quickly apologise as the man picked up his things.</p><p>And then, Minho froze up as the man spoke again. Chan couldn’t quite hear what he’d said but Minho’s face looked terrified. Sorrys were spilling out of his mouth. Chan left the cart quickly, walking over to the situation.</p><p>“-ful, you queer,” Chan heard the man finish and suddenly Minho’s reaction made sense. Before he could even think about what to do next, he was charging over to the two.</p><p>“Can you leave him alone?” Chan butted in, turning to the man who was talking to Minho. He was slightly taller than the two boys with a gruff looking face. He stepped in front of Minho, feeling the man grip his shirt slightly. He seemed terrified.</p><p>“Tell your boyfriend to be more careful,” the man growled, looking over to a sheepish Minho. Chan could feel his blood boiling. Minho kept gripping Chan’s shirt, tightly now.</p><p>“How dare you talk to him like that,” Chan snapped back, putting on his best scolding Dad voice, “People like you are a goddamn disgrace to humanity. Treat people with some fucking respect.”</p><p>“Can’t respect homos like you two,” the man snarled, and Chan had to stop himself from punching the man directly in the face.</p><p>“Get out of here before I report you for harassment, you fucking bigot,” Chan warned, locking eyes with the man. After a few seconds of silence, the man exhaled and pushed past Chan and Minho. Chan heard him mutter a word he didn’t even want to acknowledge as he left.</p><p>“Fucking asshole,” Chan sighed, turning back to Minho who’d let go of Chan’s shirt, “Are you okay?”</p><p>Minho nodded, looking up at Chan. His eyes were slightly watery, and Chan suspected he’d been trying to fight back tears during the confrontation. Chan could feel his heart shatter at that. He knew exactly how Minho had felt. He’d been in that exact situation.</p><p>“Thank you, Chan,” Minho whispered, bringing his eyes down to the floor again, “I just… sort of freeze up in those situations.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault,” Chan reassured, wanting to reach out and hold Minho’s hand before stopping himself, “It’s not your fault there are small-minded idiots walking around the world.”</p><p>Minho nodded again, clearing his throat and standing up taller. Chan looked back to the dropped can of paint and picked it up. Putting on his cheeriest voice, he looked back to Minho.</p><p>“Are you ready to check out?”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Jisung walked into the breakroom, letting out a yawn as he peered at the clock. His shift had just ended, and he was looking forward to a relaxing evening of doing absolutely nothing. Hanging his apron up on his hook, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Jisung pulled his phone out of his pocket and stared at his screen.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>XXX-XXX-XXXX [15:46]</b>
</p><p>jisung?</p><p>it’s hyunjin</p><p> </p><p>“Holy shit,” Jisung whispered under his breath, grinning widely as he read over the message. He’d replied. He’d actually replied.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [15:46]</b>
</p><p>hii :)</p><p> </p><p>That was normal right? People answer texts like that. Was the emoticon too much? It was too late. Fuck. Jisung was overthinking everything.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hyunjin [15:46]</b>
</p><p>okay cool this is your number haha</p><p>thank you for the loyalty card btw ;)</p><p> </p><p>He’d replied with an emoticon. Okay, Jisung was in the clear.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [15:46]</b>
</p><p>it’s no problem</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hyunjin [15:47]</b>
</p><p>and thank you for your number</p><p> </p><p>Jisung felt himself blush as he read what Hyunjin had put. He could feel his hands shaking slightly, giddy from excitement. Leaning against the break room wall, Jisung replied:</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [15:47]</b>
</p><p>yeah... i was gonna ask for yours soon but why not take the initiative?</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hyunjin [15:47]</b>
</p><p>well thank you for taking the initiative</p><p>…for both of us</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [15:48]</b>
</p><p>;))</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hyunjin [15:48]</b>
</p><p>look</p><p>this might be a little forward but…</p><p>can i take you out sometime?</p><p> </p><p>Jisung had to re-type his response several times. Hyunjin, Latte Guy, gorgeous long blonde-haired coffee shop regular had asked <em> him </em>out on a date. His heart was pounding out of his chest. He had to reply soon to not make Hyunjin worry, but he also had to seem a little less eager than he was.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>You [15:49]</b>
</p><p>of course</p><p>i’d love to</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hyunjin [15:49]</b>
</p><p>great!</p><p>i’ll text you more details later</p><p> </p><p>Jisung turned his phone off, leaning his head against the wall and letting out an overjoyed laugh.</p><p>“Holy shit, Jisung… holy shit,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan and Minho left the store, clutching bags filled with supplies. They’d managed to get most of the supplies done but would need to take a few trips to other stores in order to get everything they needed. Minho was still a little shaken from the experience in the store but was thankful Chan had been there. His mind had immediately gone back to that evening with Seungmin. Every time something like that happened, it went back to that evening with Seungmin.</p><p>Chan was placing bags in the trunk of the car as Minho walked up, handing over the bags to Chan. As he finished up and was about to say something, Minho quickly spoke up:</p><p>“Can I buy you a coffee?”</p><p>“Hm?” Chan looked back to Minho.</p><p>“As… a thank you. I still feel really bad about earlier,” Minho explained, suddenly feeling a little sheepish. A day ago, Minho wouldn’t have dreamed of getting coffee with Chan of all people but today had felt different and besides, he really wanted to thank Chan.</p><p>“You don’t have to do that, Minho,” Chan responded, giving a smile. Minho had maybe expected some form of excuse or deflection, but this was genuine. Chan wasn’t looking for some reward.</p><p>“I insist. I really can’t thank you enough,”</p><p>Chan nodded and closed the trunk. “Okay, but we are <em> not </em>going to Java World.”</p><p>“I was <em> just </em> about to suggest Java World,” Minho laughed, getting into the car with Chan, “Why the hate for Java World?”</p><p>“I work there,”</p><p>“No shit!” Minho continued laughing which Chan eventually joined in with, “My roommate goes there all the time.”</p><p>“What’s their name?”</p><p>“Hyunjin,”</p><p>Minho watched Chan’s jaw drop before cracking into a wide smile. The brown-haired boy quirked his eyebrow, looking for an explanation for Chan.</p><p>“One of my co-workers has a <em> huge </em> crush on him,”</p><p>“Is your co-worker cute? Big cheeks? Pouts a lot?”</p><p>Chan nodded as it was Minho’s turn to explain, “Hyunjin won’t shut up about him. He’s too scared to ask him out though.”</p><p>“Jisung’s the same,”</p><p>“Well, hopefully one of them will grow the balls and ask the other out. I can’t take any more of his pining,”</p><p>The car continued down the road into town as the two boys continued talking and laughing. Minho could get used to this. </p><p>Used to Chan.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Minho gave Chan directions to a quaint cafe on the end of a quiet street. He’d parked in a more central area of the city and was now walking to a much less hectic area. They walked down an empty sidewalk with their faces being nipped at by an uncharacteristic October breeze. Passing under golden trees, Chan took in the surrounding area. Various quaint shops lined the street with neatly manicured flowers and plants outside. Autumn had crinkled and crumpled their leaves, turning them to a soothing orange before they broke away and drifted to the sidewalk. At that moment, he felt incredibly peaceful with the soft conversation between him and Minho being coupled with the light clicks of their shoes and the crunch of leaves. </p><p>Finally, they reached the cafe Minho had recommended. It was fairly small with a cosy wooden theme, similar to Java World but definitely less artificial. As they entered, the two boys were greeted with low jazz playing on the speakers. A few people sat around, drinking coffee and doing work. Minho walked up to the counter and was greeted by a smiley woman who was ready to take his order as Chan hung back to scan his eyes around the cafe. If it wasn’t annoyingly far from his apartment, he definitely would’ve applied to work here.</p><p>Chan waltzed up to the counter and hung by Minho as he asked Chan what he wanted. The older boy scanned his eyes over the hand-written chalk menu, settling on a flat white.</p><p>“One flat white and a green tea, please,” Minho ordered, tapping his card on the reader. As they left, Chan scanned his eyes over the collection of cakes and snacks on offer. If Minho hadn’t offered to pay in the car, he would’ve gotten a brownie. Maybe even one to share with Minho.</p><p>“That’ll be right with you,” the woman smiled before hurrying off to make the drinks. Chan followed Minho over to a small wooden table by the window of the cafe and the two sat down.</p><p>“This place is really nice. A lot classier than Java World,” Chan commented, looking at the small potted plant that resided on their table. His eyes drifted up to the window, looking out onto the street. It was serene, a collection of golds, yellows and reds with flicks of pastels from store signs and paint. He couldn’t believe he’d never been to this part of the city before.</p><p>“Isn’t this technically a recon mission or something? You can find out how to make your cafe a little nicer,” Minho suggested, crossing his legs and placing his phone down on the table.</p><p>“Like they’re gonna take the advice of a part-time barista seriously,” Chan teased.</p><p>“What else do you do?... besides being a barista,”</p><p>Chan was surprised at the question. Not that it was difficult to answer but he was taken aback by Minho’s curiosity. Just two days ago, Minho had displayed absolutely zero interest in Chan’s life, and now he was making small talk.</p><p>“I’m an actor… well, aspiring,”</p><p>“Ooh, that’s exciting. Would I have seen you anywhere?”</p><p>“Unless you watch commercials for a living, I don’t think you would’ve,” Chan answered. The tone of his response was self-deprecating and joking but it was uncomfortably true.</p><p>“That’s how all the best get their start though,” Minho countered, “I bet you’ll get your big break.”</p><p>Chan shrugged in response. He didn’t particularly believe what Minho was saying. He’d been going to auditions since his nineteenth birthday and his big break was still a distant dream.</p><p>“So, are you a ballet teacher full-time or?” Chan inquired, returning Minho’s job question.</p><p>“Yeah, not just for kids though. I teach general dance classes for adults as well but, ballet is my favourite,”</p><p>“I know that I originally came to complain on her behalf… but Chaesun really loves it,” Chan admitted, nervous at the bringing up of their situation. They’d done a good job of avoiding anything about the one-night stand or the following few days, but it was unrealistic trying to ignore it. Right?</p><p>“Oh… well that’s good to hear,” Minho laughed, maybe a little nervous at the mention, “She’s less disruptive too.”</p><p>“I may… have pulled my head out of my ass and given her a little talk about it. Just so I didn’t look like an idiot if she actually <em> was </em> disruptive,” </p><p>Minho grinned as Chan finished and they both fell into quiet laughter. As it subsided, the barista came over with their drinks and placed them down on the table. Minho and Chan gave polite thank yous and took their respective drinks. The flat white came in a small hand-decorated cup with the milk being drawn beautifully in the shape of a leaf at the surface. Chan was never good at that, Jisung being the real talent. His crush on Hyunjin had massively improved his latte art.</p><p>The flat white was undeniably delicious, and Minho seemed to be enjoying his green tea, taking cautious sips and giving a warm smile as he swallowed.</p><p>“If it’s alright to ask, how did Chaesun come around?” Minho inquired and Chan faltered a little. No one really spoke about this with him. Even Felix, Changbin and Jisung would avoid this topic. </p><p>Chan’s silence had seemed to send a message to Minho who immediately began to apologise, “I’m sorry, if that was overstepping. It’s just you seem pretty young and Chaesun’s seven, so I thought…”</p><p>His voice trailed away as Chan looked up at him and smiled softly. “It’s okay, Minho. I just don’t really talk about it a lot.”</p><p>“You don’t have to… especially with me,”</p><p>And that was what made Chan talk. That sudden vulnerability from Minho and the embarrassment he seemed to feel about what had happened between the two of them. He wasn’t denying out of politeness or asking just because social cues demanded they make small talk. He was genuinely interested and genuinely sorry.</p><p>“Chae’s mom and I dated through high school. I think we were sixteen when we first got together. Her name’s Soojin,” Chan began, drinking his coffee as he spoke, “We found out she was pregnant when she was 17. She decided she was gonna keep it. Her parents kicked her out and she moved in with my mom and I. Chae was born and things were really great for a few months. Mom helped out where she could but Soojin started to grow… distant. I woke up one morning and… she was just gone. Asked mom if she’d seen her. She hadn’t. We don’t know where she went, and I haven’t seen her since.”</p><p>Minho’s eyes widened as Chan spoke. “Oh my god, Chan. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“I’m not even sure why she left. Maybe it was all too much for her? Anyway, I dropped out of college to look after Chaesun full-time and eventually I made enough money to move out. I don’t hate her… for what she did. You can’t really but… it just makes me so upset that Chaesun’s gonna grow up having never known her real mom,” Chan finished, and he could feel tears pricking the corners of his eyes. Minho reached out and placed his hand over Chan’s.</p><p>“Thank you for telling me,” Minho said softly, “I’m sorry if I forced that out of you.”</p><p>“No, don’t worry,” Chan reassured, not letting go of Minho’s hand, “I don’t really talk about it a lot. I don’t talk about a lot of things that bother me. I need to get better at doing that.”</p><p>“You and me both,” Minho chuckled, removing his hands. Chan couldn’t help thinking that he missed that feeling of Minho’s hand on his.</p><p>“How long have you been a dancer?” Chan questioned, changing the subject and finishing his coffee. Minho didn’t question the change, happily answering the question, “I don’t think I could say a number really. I’ve always loved it. Dance was a way for me to… escape from everything. Being pretty good at it was just a bonus. That sounds arrogant.”</p><p>“No, it doesn’t. You have to be somewhat good at dance to be a teacher,”</p><p>“I guess,” Minho laughed, “Anyway, I started to get really into it when I was fifteen. Started doing bigger competitions. I won a National Championship when I was twenty.”</p><p>Chan was amazed at how casually Minho said it. It was so off-hand like he didn’t want to dwell on it.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Chan exclaimed, “You’re a lot better than just good then. How come you’re not competing now?”</p><p>It was an innocent question Chan assumed but Minho fell quiet. He looked uncomfortable. Chan wasn’t sure what to say, letting the silence fill the room.</p><p>“It’s hard to get into,” Minho finally said, getting a little nervy, “I think I prefer teaching though. The spotlight’s not for me.”</p><p>Chan nodded; he wasn’t going to press further.</p><p>After finishing their drinks, the two boys left the cafe, continuing their conversation. Chan was amazed at how at ease he felt talking to Minho, the conversation flowing naturally. It made him remember why he’d been so easily intoxicated by Minho the night they met. This was a different Minho, no less intoxicating, but much more welcoming. No more chokers or flowing white shirts to push him away, just a charming, handsome guy swamped in a soft brown sweater. A guy who gently blows on his tea through pretty pink lips and smiles widely when talking about his passions. A guy who grips onto shirts when he’s scared and asks questions because he’s actually interested in the people he speaks to.</p><p>Oh fuck. </p><p>Fuck.</p><p>“I think I’m gonna take the subway home,” Minho said, stopping outside a subway station. They’d walked back into the city now and were near where Chan had parked. The sun was starting to lower, and Chan’s mind flicked to what he’d have to cook Chaesun for dinner tonight.</p><p>“I can drive you home, don’t worry,” Chan explained, motioning down the street towards the car park.</p><p>“Really, Chan. It’s okay. You’ve already done enough for me today,” Minho smiled, a faint blush tinting his cheeks. Chan didn’t bother fighting him on it. “Well, get home safe, okay? I’ll see you in a couple of days.”</p><p>“God, you’re such a dad,” Minho laughed, brushing his hair out of his face. He turned to leave before stopping and looking back at Chan. “Forgive me for being blunt but… I had a much better time than I expected today. Like I actually enjoyed myself.”</p><p>Chan gave out a huge grin as Minho spoke and nodded in agreement. “I feel the same way. I thought this was gonna be painfully awkward.”</p><p>“It only would’ve been awkward if you’d made it awkward,”</p><p>“Oh, I <em> would’ve </em>,”</p><p>Minho started laughing again, smiling back at Chan. “Goodbye Chan.”</p><p>And he left with a small little wave poking out of his sweater. And Chan realised he was completely and utterly fucked.</p><p>Utterly fucked because he most definitely had feelings for Minho.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you so much for reading &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. TIGHTEN</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“But I’m bisexual!”</p><p>“Not anymore you’re not,” Felix countered, “Due to the immense sadness you have caused me, I shall be shoving you back in the closet for a video.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>can we talk abt the changlix skz player WE LOVE TO SEE IT</p><p>binnie writes the best love songs i swear</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You got everything set up?” Minho called out from the kitchen, pulling out four wine glasses and several bowls. Hyunjin had come home ecstatic and instead of explaining, had insisted that he invite Seungmin and Jeongin over for a movie night. Although a little confused, the idea of a movie night sounded fun, and he’d happily agreed. He deserved a night of fun. Fortunately for him, Seungmin and Jeongin also agreed and were on their way over now.</p><p>“Yep! I’ve got every pillow, plushie and blanket and thrown it on the sofa,” Hyunjin announced proudly, stepping into view, “Prepare to be comfortable as fuck.”</p><p>Minho brought the wine glasses and bowls out, placing them on the coffee table as he inspected Hyunjin’s work.</p><p>“You know, Jinnie, for an aspiring interior designer, there is absolutely no co-ordination to this,”</p><p>Hyunjin lingered by Minho, resting a hand on his shoulder, “Ah, hyung, comfort comes at a cost - taste. This may hurt my reputation, but I am willing to make that sacrifice for the comfort of my friends.”</p><p>He put on a faux-wise voice as he spoke, making dramatic arm movements to sell what he was saying. Minho rolled his eyes and shrugged Hyunjin’s arm off him. “I get fucking slaughtered for moving a throw pillow, but you can do <em>this</em>. Double standards.”</p><p>Placing his circular-rimmed glasses on, he collapsed into the couch, sinking in between the layers of pillow and blanket. Despite its ugly and disorganised appearance, Hyunjin was annoyingly right. He was comfortable as fuck. As Hyunjin settled into the sofa beside him, there was a knock at the door. The blonde boy let out a loud groan, hesitant to leave the comfort of his pile so, with reluctance, Minho clambered off the sofa and opened the door.</p><p>Seungmin and Jeongin were standing on the other end, wearing matching bear pyjamas, and clutching grocery bags filled with food. Minho scanned the two up and down, looking at their clothing choice.</p><p>“You guys are disgusting,” Minho commented dryly as Hyunjin looked over from the couch and exclaimed, “You guys are adorable!”</p><p>The two boys entered, displaying the egregious number of snacks they’d brought. Hyunjin immediately dedicated himself to filling various bowls with popcorn, potato chips and candy, most of which was for Jeongin. Minho brought out a chilled bottle of white wine and got to pouring for each boy. Meanwhile, Seungmin and Jeongin settled into the couch, Jeongin curling up into Seungmin’s body like it was second nature, allowing Seungmin to stroke idly up his arm.</p><p>“So, why the sudden invite, Jinnie?” Seungmin asked, moving his hands to card through Jeongin’s black hair slowly. Hyunjin picked a kernel of popcorn out of the bowl and placed it in his mouth. “I’ll explain when Minho sits down.”</p><p>Minho passed a glass of wine to Hyunjin, having already attended to his guests, before sinking into the couch. The blonde boy remained standing, taking a sip of his wine. He dramatically paused, holding for tension before breaking the silence:</p><p>“I asked out Jisung,” Hyunjin announced, “And he said yes.” Seungmin beamed whilst Minho rolled his eyes at the overdramatic nature of Hyunjin’s announcement. He secretly was pretty happy for Hyunjin though. He could do a lot worse than Jisung.</p><p>“He’s not straight!” Jeongin exclaimed, leaping off of Seungmin and hugging Hyunjin.</p><p>“You thought he was straight?” Minho asked, swirling his wine around the glass.</p><p>“For a brief moment,” Hyunjin answered, swinging an arm around Jeongin’s shoulder. “But then he gave me his number.”</p><p>“I’m so happy for you, hyung,” Seungmin said genuinely, “I hope things work out for you two.”</p><p>“I can’t believe you made me plan a whole fucking movie night for <em>this</em>,” Minho groaned, rolling his eyes. Seungmin smacked Minho’s leg playfully. “This is a big moment for him!”</p><p>Hyunjin waddled over to Minho and crashed into his lap, “Would I do it any other way?”</p><p>“Congratulations, Jinnie,” Minho said quietly, letting Hyunjin nestle his head into his shoulder, “Just don’t be too loud when Jisung’s over please.”</p><p>Hyunjin blushed furiously, pushing himself off Minho. “Pervert!”</p><p>Minho giggled, picking up the remote and turning on the TV. “Let’s stop discussing Hyunjin’s sex life and just start the movie, huh?” Seungmin and Jeongin nodded as Hyunjin’s face remained red.</p><p>“So, hyung, how does it feel to be the only single one in the group?” Jeongin wondered, laying his head on Seungmin’s shoulder. They fit together so well, two pieces of a puzzle, tailored for each other. Lock and key.</p><p>“Hyunjin and Jisung aren’t dating,”</p><p>“Only a matter of time,” Hyunjin chirped, wrapping himself in a large blanket.</p><p>“So?” Jeongin persisted.</p><p>“Silence, child,” Minho answered, throwing a pillow at Jeongin’s head.</p><p>The movie began to play, some crappy romance Hyunjin had picked, and soon enough, Jeongin and Hyunjin found themselves completely enthralled in the film. Every few minutes, they’d guess a new plot twist or character development only to be proven wrong when the story veered into unexpected territory. Seungmin was constantly rolling his eyes at the unrealistic situations the characters were placed in whilst Minho sat there, looking jaded at the happy couples. Romance movies had never been his thing and seeing how uneventful his love life was right now, it stung twice as much. Eventually, he couldn’t take the trite nature of the film and got up to get drunk in the kitchen quietly.</p><p>“It’s horrible, isn’t it?” Seungmin laughed, entering the kitchen. Upon entry, he saw Minho crouched on the floor with a wine glass in his hand and surrounded by his three cats, Soonie, Doongie and Dori. Seungmin joined him on the floor, letting Doongie crawl into his lap. Doongie and Seungmin had always gotten on well. Every time he’d come over, Doongie had spent more time cuddling Seungmin than Minho had.</p><p>“Hyunjin loves sappy shit like that,” Minho commented, gently stroking Dori’s head, “The main guy’s kinda hot though.”</p><p>Seungmin scoffed, picking Doongie up and walking over to the counter to pour himself a glass of wine. Filling his glass, he spoke up, “How was the supply shopping today?”</p><p>“Actually, really fun,” Minho responded casually, pushing his glasses further up his face.</p><p>“Hm?” Seungmin jolted, almost spilling his wine from shock, “You’re not fucking with me here, right? You know what I said about lying.”</p><p>“No… it was actually really enjoyable,” Minho admitted, letting Soonie join him in his lap. He knew how strange it seemed, especially when he’d been crying down the phone to Seungmin only two days ago about the situation. He was surprised at how easily he’d gotten along with Chan as well as annoyed at how blockheaded he’d been when he’d come to complain that day. They could’ve really gotten along and saved themselves both a lot of stress if Minho hadn’t been so defensive and abrasive. Seungmin sat down next to Minho, letting Minho rest his head against Seungmin’s shoulder.</p><p>“Chan’s surprisingly nice y’know,” Minho rambled on, drumming his fingernails against his wine glass, “He’s a really good dad and he cares a lot. He cares a lot about a lot of things and it’s just… he’s pretty great.”</p><p>A smile grew on Seungmin’s face as Minho continued to mutter about Chan drunkenly. After finishing, the younger boy started laughing quietly to himself.</p><p>“What?” Minho asked, craning his head towards Seungmin.</p><p>“It’s nothing. You’re just… I don’t know. I’m getting deja vu,”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“It’s not important,”</p><p>“Hmph okay,”</p><p>Minho wasn’t really sure what Seungmin meant.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin was true to his word and did end up texting Jisung details. Just a lot later than Jisung thought. By later, Jisung had thought he’d meant an hour and after the first few, he’d given up waiting. He didn’t end up texting Jisung until the next morning.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:53]</strong>
</p><p>are you busy today?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:54]</strong>
</p><p>i have work until 3:45 but apart from that</p><p>no </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:54]</strong>
</p><p>can i take you out for coffee after that?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:54]</strong>
</p><p>oh please dear god hyunjin no</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:54]</strong>
</p><p>wait what</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:55]</strong>
</p><p>after finishing work i literally cannot look at coffee for at least a few hours</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:55]</strong>
</p><p>oh fuck</p><p>umm... i didn’t have any other ideas</p><p>this is embarrassing</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:55]</strong>
</p><p>you’re pretty enough to make up for that</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:56]</strong>
</p><p>you think i’m pretty????</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:56]</strong>
</p><p>shut up you know you’re pretty</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:56]</strong>
</p><p>no i don’t</p><p>pls... do go on</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:56]</strong>
</p><p>i take it back</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:56]</strong>
</p><p>nooooo please</p><p>:((((</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:56]</strong>
</p><p>okay well</p><p>if you don’t have any other ideas</p><p>ice cream??</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:57]</strong>
</p><p>cute</p><p>yes i’ll get ice cream with you jisung</p><p>meet you after work?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:57[</strong>
</p><p>meet in the park near java world?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [09:57]</strong>
</p><p>screw that</p><p>i’m picking you up like a real gentleman</p><p> </p><p>Jisung placed his phone in his pocket and tied his apron around his waist, a heavy blush coating his face.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan knocked on the door to Felix’s apartment, waiting patiently for one of the boys to open up. After about a minute, Felix opened the door and Chan burst out laughing. Felix had foundation two shades too pale for his skin as well as thick pink lips and messy eyeshadow.</p><p>“Um, hi,” Chan chuckled, his mouth widening at Felix’s appearance.</p><p>“Please, don’t ask,” Felix groaned, letting Chan in.</p><p>“Oh no, I really have to,” Chan replied, following Felix into the apartment. As he entered the living room, he found Changbin sitting on a stool, clutching Felix’s make-up bag. They were surrounded by ring lights and Felix’s camera. “YouTube video?”</p><p>Felix nodded in response to Chan’s question.</p><p>“My boyfriend does my make-up challenge,” Changbin answered, a smirk on his face at the horror he’d inflicted on Felix’s face, “You interrupted us.”</p><p>“Thank God,” Felix grunted, sitting on the sofa, and crossing his legs.</p><p>“I didn’t know Binnie featured on your channel,” Chan pointed out.</p><p>“He’s in a lot of my videos, you would’ve… Do you not watch my videos, hyung?” Felix looked horrified at the thought of that. Sheepishly, Chan responded, “I’ve seen a few.”</p><p>“How dare you!” Felix exclaimed, pouting heavily, “Please leave my apartment.”</p><p>“You’re almost at a million subscribers, Lix. Do you really need my views?”</p><p>“It’s the principle,”</p><p>“What can I do to make it up to you?”</p><p>Felix sat in thought for a moment, an idea suddenly springing in his mind. He turned his eyes towards Chan with a devilish look on his face. Chan knew that look; Chan feared that look.</p><p>“Do a video with me,” Felix offered. Okay, that wasn’t too bad. “It’ll be.... doing my straight friend’s make-up.”</p><p>“But I’m bisexual!”</p><p>“Not anymore you’re not,” Felix countered, “Due to the immense sadness you have caused me, I shall be shoving you back in the closet for a video.”</p><p>“Why can’t you choose Binnie? He’s much more straight-passing than I am!”</p><p>“Not when he’s on camera with me,”</p><p>Changbin smiled cheekily, a light blush dusting his cheeks. “He didn’t even mention we were dating in my first video with him, and his audience figured it out.”</p><p>“It’s ‘cause you kept staring at my ass the whole time,”</p><p>“Can you blame me?”</p><p>Chan groaned, already dreading the thought of being in Felix’s video. He wasn’t bad on camera, he wouldn’t have pursued acting if he were, but YouTube seemed different. He was sure he’d get tongue-tied and constantly trip over his words. Although, he was slightly looking forward to Felix doing his make-up again. He wouldn’t admit that to Felix though. As they settled into silence, all of their phones chimed unanimously.</p><p>“Huh?” Felix wondered, pulling his phone out of his pocket.</p><p>“How much do you want to bet it’s Jisung?” Changbin chuckled, him too pulling his phone out. Chan did the same and as Changbin had predicted, it was Jisung.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>fruit cups</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [10:13]</strong>
</p><p>guess who’s going on a date today?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:13]</strong>
</p><p>i’m guessing it’s you ji</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [10:13]</strong>
</p><p>ah so smart lixie</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [10:14]</strong>
</p><p>Who’s the unlucky guy?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [10:14]</strong>
</p><p>i despise you binnie</p><p>anyway it’s hyunjin (latte guy)</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:14]</strong>
</p><p>I FUCKING KNEW HE LIKED YOU JISUNG.</p><p>I FUCKING TOLD YOU.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:14]</strong>
</p><p>omg the elusive latte guy</p><p>all those months of pining paid off</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [10:14]</strong>
</p><p>he’s WAY out of my league but ugh im so happy</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:15]</strong>
</p><p>shh jisung you’re pretty</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:15]</strong>
</p><p>Okay but like Hyunjin is <em>pretty</em> pretty.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [10:15]</strong>
</p><p>speaking of thinking i’m pretty lix…</p><p>channie-hyung told me</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:15]</strong>
</p><p>Jisung, I swear to God.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10;15]</strong>
</p><p>HYUNG????</p><p>WHHAT DID YO USAY</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [10:15]</strong>
</p><p>What am I missing out on here?</p><p> </p><p>Chan began to type his reply before being dived on by a furious Felix.</p><p>“I can’t believe you fucking told him that!” Felix whined, smacking Chan’s head before sitting back and sulking. “He’s never gonna let me forget that.”</p><p>Changbin kept his eyes on his phone as another notification chimed. A few seconds passed before Changbin erupted into laughter.</p><p>“You liked Jisung, Lix?” Changbin howled, trying to calm his laughter.</p><p>“Shut up!” Felix wailed.</p><p>“Don’t get too jealous of Hyunjin now,” Chan added, raising his hands in defence for Felix’s incoming attack.</p><p>“You guys are such dicks,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin nervously fiddled with the hairband around his wrist, watching the clock on his phone switch to 3:45. He’d never felt this nervous for a date before, but he really didn’t want to disappoint Jisung. He’d gotten to the cafe at 3:30 and had spent the past fifteen minutes giving himself a pep talk whilst pacing back and forth down the street. He knew the people inside and on the street probably thought he was insane, but this was part of his process. Well, the process he’d recently implemented since asking out the cutest boy he’d ever met.</p><p>Exhaling, he entered the cafe as he’d done many times before and looked for the door to the breakroom. He lingered awkwardly by the entrance, waiting for Jisung, and feeling the eyes of the barista’s stick on him. Now, he must’ve looked really weird. Just as he was about to combust from self-consciousness, he saw the adorable brown-haired boy exit the breakroom and suddenly light up as he saw Hyunjin. The blonde boy waved to him gently and joined Jisung in his infectious smiling.</p><p>“Hi,” Jisung said quietly, stopping a few feet from Hyunjin, “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”</p><p>“I don’t want to disappoint you then,” Hyunjin joked, although having a pretty big hint of truth to it. If Jisung was being honest, so would he.</p><p>“I doubt you could do that,” Jisung only had to say a few words to make Hyunjin’s heart jump and face blush. “Should we get out of here then?”</p><p>Hyunjin nodded and walked out of the cafe, Jisung following behind him. They continued down the street, talking constantly before reaching a small park. It was reasonably quiet with a few children playing and an ice cream truck lingering. Orange leaves littered the floor, crunching under the foot of a giggling child or being inspected by a curious dog. Hyunjin had passed this park every day on his way to getting a latte, but never stopped to inspect it further. It was actually really pretty. Quaint was the word he’d use.</p><p>“How’d you know there’d be a truck here?” Hyunjin asked, impressed at Jisung’s prediction and timing. Jisung blushed slightly, explaining, “I may or may not come and get ice cream from this van after a long day.”</p><p>Fuck, he was adorable. As he’d explained, his smile had grown, and his eyes had crinkled into crescents. A picture of a tired Jisung licking at a scoop of vanilla and grinning just like that grew in Hyunjin’s mind and Christ, he was already whipped. Jisung’s whole nature was utterly engrossing and Hyunjin didn’t want to pull away.</p><p>“Come on, I’m hungry,” Jisung smiled, grabbing Hyunjin’s hand and pulling him along. Had Hyunjin not been on a date in a long time or were first dates not normally this touchy? Maybe he’d just been on bad dates. He didn’t particularly mind though. It was nice to be with someone who wasn’t being coy with their feelings. Too many memories of uncomfortable hugs or attempted kisses came to mind and made Hyunjin cry. Why were people even secretive about their feelings for one other? It’s nice to know you’re wanted, you’re liked.</p><p>They reached the truck and Jisung happily ordered for the two, insisting to pay which Hyunjin tried to contest. Eventually, he gave up. Jisung could be <em>really</em> persistent. Jisung got himself a scoop of salted caramel and a scoop of chocolate at Hyunjin’s request. Once receiving their ice creams, they wandered through the park together, still chatting and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Somewhere along the way, Jisung slipped his hand into Hyunjin’s, almost like it was second nature.</p><p>“You’re a really tactile person,” Hyunjin commented innocently, hearing Jisung elicit a small ‘oh’ and quickly remove his fingers. Hyunjin suddenly felt terrible, not meaning it like that. He looked over to the shorter boy’s face which was now flushed with embarrassment. He was avoiding eye contact with Hyunjin, fixed to the path below them. Hyunjin had already fucked up and they’d barely been on the date for half an hour.</p><p>“Sorry,” Jisung apologised as Hyunjin’s heart broke a little, “I don’t mean to be so… forward.”</p><p>Hyunjin quickly took Jisung’s hand back. “No, I like that. It’s so much nicer to have someone who’s honest about what they’re feeling. Playing hard-to-get is wildly overrated and only ever backfires.”</p><p>“Oh,” Jisung repeated, smiling softly, and letting Hyunjin squeeze his hand, “So, what are you feeling? If we’re being honest.”</p><p>“I’m feeling very happy because I’m on a date with an incredibly cute guy… and he likes to hold my hand,” Hyunjin admitted, making Jisung giggle. They made their way to an empty bench, still with their hands intertwined, and sat down. As they sat, Hyunjin offered Jisung a lick of his ice cream which Jisung happily accepted. He then offered a lick of his. As the tang of the salted caramel hit his tongue, he realised that he’d sort of inadvertently kissed Jisung. The thought made him smile and looking back at Jisung’s face, he noticed how the cold of the ice cream had reddened his plush lips. Suddenly he wanted a less inadvertent kiss.</p><p>“So, what do you do? Besides being a barista,” Hyunjin wondered, brushing away his thoughts whilst finishing his ice cream and gently wiping his mouth with a napkin. Jisung was still enjoying his, taking small methodical bites with wide eyes. Hyunjin couldn’t get over how adorable he was.</p><p>“Currently I’m just a barista,” Jisung explained, “But I’m trying to save up money to go to art school.”</p><p>“That makes sense,” Hyunjin chuckled, making Jisung quirk his eyebrow, “Your latte art is very good.”</p><p>Not only was his proficiency in latte art a sign, but the skill and detail he’d put into the loyalty card was another.</p><p>“I take pride in my latte art skills… and my painting,”</p><p>“Can I see some of your work sometime?”</p><p>Jisung blushed slightly, “Yeah, sure.”</p><p>“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I know some people are pretty private about their work,”</p><p>“No, I want to,” Jisung clarified, smiling softly. Hyunjin’s mind filled with thoughts of him visiting Jisung at galleries where he displayed his work, or at art shows where people were bidding for his pieces. He could already tell that Jisung was talented. “And what do you do?”</p><p>“I work at my dad’s interior design firm. Not actually as an interior designer yet, but I’d like to get there,”</p><p>“Oh god, you <em>cannot</em> come to my apartment then,” Jisung laughed, “It is a complete mess. Unless hoarder-chic is a new interior design trend, then it’s incredibly stylish.”</p><p>“You and my roommate would get along. I’m very focused on having a pretty apartment and he is just <em>the</em> opposite,” Hyunjin shared, thinking back to the number of times he’d scolded Minho over what he’d done to the apartment, “When we were moving in, we had like a week-long argument about the correct pieces of furniture to have in the living room.”</p><p>The two boys shared various anecdotes and got to know each other better. Hyunjin learnt about Jisung’s family, his hobbies, his favourite movies, songs, foods. Jisung <em>loved</em> to talk and was refreshingly open about everything. Hyunjin joined in when he could or was asked but spent most of their conversation under Jisung’s spell. Eventually, he became aware of how much time had passed when the sun began to lower along with the temperature.</p><p>“I should probably get you home,” Hyunjin teased, getting off the bench. Jisung sighed with Hyunjin guessing that he wished they could stay longer. Or maybe Hyunjin was hoping he was thinking that. </p><p>A bitter breeze shot across the park and hit the two boys with Jisung shivering. Hyunjin suddenly became aware that Jisung was only wearing a tight-fitting black t-shirt, and despite how good he looked in it, he didn’t want Jisung to get sick. Quickly taking off his jacket, he handed it over to him.</p><p>“Oh, Hyunjin, you don’t have to,” Jisung said, trying to give the jacket back.</p><p>“You’ll catch a cold,” Hyunjin warned, “Take it.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Jisung blushed, slipping into the jacket. It was already oversized on Hyunjin and swamped Jisung.</p><p>“You look adorable,” Hyunjin commented, the words just slipping out. He didn’t bother caring about the slip, especially when it made Jisung blush again. They stayed for a moment, looking at each other's eyes as Jisung grew progressively redder. His bottom lip jutted out and Hyunjin was desperate to close the distance between them and kiss Jisung until he could hardly breathe.</p><p>“Walk me to the station, okay?” Jisung asked, intertwining his fingers with Hyunjin’s as they left the park. </p><p>“Of course,”</p><p>The walk to the station was about ten minutes. As they walked, the sun slowly lowered, tinting the sky in a soothing pink and orange. It was beautiful, with the glass windows of the high-rise buildings reflecting the colours like a kaleidoscope. What was most beautiful however was the way the pink sky reflected inside the brown pools of Jisung’s eyes as he gazed at the sky in wonder.</p><p>“It’s beautiful,” the shorter boy exclaimed quietly, “I love evenings like these,” he began again, squeezing Hyunjin’s hand, “They make me glad that I just… exist in the world. I’d love to paint skies like these. I know there’s a lot of bad shit out there, and maybe it’s naive me saying this, but the world can be a really incredible place filled with really incredible things and really incredible people. I don’t know but simple moments like these, remind me of that… I’m sort of rambling on.”</p><p>He let out a nervous laugh as he finished whilst Hyunjin could feel the warmth inside his chest bloom at Jisung’s words. They were filled with so much fondness, stained with sincerity.</p><p>“I like it when you ramble,”</p><p>“You’re literally the first person to say that,” Jisung laughed, “Thank you.”</p><p>They stopped a few metres short of the train station, admiring the sky. Hyunjin really didn’t want the date to end here, but he knew it would be over-stepping if he asked to come back to Jisung’s or Jisung to come back to his. Besides, he didn’t want to ruin this. He wasn’t in this for the sex, he was in it for Jisung.</p><p>“I guess this is goodbye,” Jisung whispered, looking up at Hyunjin, “I’ll text you later.”</p><p>As Jisung went to leave, Hyunjin quickly grabbed his wrist. He wasn’t sure how Jisung would react with his next words, but he had to give it a shot, especially since their talk about honestly earlier.</p><p>“Before you go,” Hyunjin spoke up. Jisung looked up at him with his soft brown eyes. Pools of honey in the orange light. “Can I kiss you?”</p><p>The boy stood there for a few seconds, probably shocked by the sudden question. And fuck, Hyunjin shouldn’t have done that. That was crossing the line and now Jisung was uncomfortable. Fuck.</p><p>“Yes,” Jisung laughed breathlessly and Hyunjin let out a sigh of relief. Thank God. Thank God he hadn’t freaked out and thank God he said yes. Hyunjin felt desperate to kiss Jisung. The smaller boy closed his eyes as Hyunjin leaned in to press his lips to Jisung’s. He could’ve kissed Jisung for hours, listening to his quiet breaths fall and rise.  Hyunjin couldn’t have cared less that they were in public, right now it just felt like him and Jisung, bathing in the sunset.</p><p>Jisung seemed to want to deepen the kiss, snaking his hands around Hyunjin’s neck and parting his lips. Hyunjin suddenly became much more aware of their very public display and fighting every urge in his body, he pulled away. Jisung whined with annoyance quietly as Hyunjin laughed softly. “People are staring.”</p><p>“Let them watch,”</p><p>“Goodbye Jisung,”</p><p>“Oh, your jacket,” Jisung suddenly remembered, beginning to slip his arms out of the jacket.</p><p>“Keep it,”</p><p>“Oh… thank you,” Jisung blushed, chewing on his lower lip, “I’ll see you around, Hyunjin.”</p><p>And then he was gone.</p><p>Hyunjin stayed by the station for a while, basking in the pink and orange light.</p><p>Jisung had been right. The world could be really incredible.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>For the past week, Chan and Minho had had several surprisingly enjoyable days of supply shopping. They’d gone to the mall many times and had bought an unholy amount of craft paper, paint, and lights as well as the necessary supplies that Eunha had requested. She had also requested that Chan and Minho bring the supplies back to the school on the day they’d bought them to prevent them from going missing. Chan thought it was a bit of a strange reason and presumed that Eunha just liked having that sense of control over everything.</p><p>This had led to Chan and Minho driving back to the school, singing along to one of Chaesun’s Twice albums, Eyes wide open if he was being specific. Minho had also mentioned offhandedly that he knew the choreography to I Can’t Stop Me and Chan had demanded that he show him some time. Slightly embarrassed, Minho had nevertheless agreed. On the drive back, Chan tried not to think about his feelings towards Minho, but it was proving difficult. Every time he saw the way Minho’s soft lips parted gently or pouted in annoyance, he just wanted to kiss him. Every time the light reflected in his cat-like eyes; Chan just wanted to stare for hours. He wanted to map out Minho’s perfect features with soft kisses like he’d mapped out his body when they’d first slept together. Minho just had something magnetic about him. Chan was inexplicably drawn to him, everything about him.</p><p>He could settle for friends though, as much as it annoyed him. He’d had relationships like this before but… there was something different. He’d had sex with Minho, a fact he was attempting to push to the back of his mind at any opportunity. Most of the time he was unsuccessful, but friends don’t think about the fact they’d had sex with their friends.</p><p>“You okay?” Minho asked, putting his feet up on the dashboard.</p><p>“Yeah, just thinking,” Chan deflected, keeping his eyes on the road.</p><p>“Anything interesting?”</p><p>“About how you’re gonna fold in two if I crash and you’re sitting like that,” Chan said dryly, glancing over to Minho who rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Please stop being a father for five minutes,” Minho whined, “Are you always like this?”</p><p>“Constantly,” Chan chuckled, turning into the school car park, “I’m just looking out for you.” <em>I care about you.</em></p><p>“If you were really looking out for me, you wouldn’t crash your car,”</p><p>“Smartass,”</p><p>Chan shut off the engine and the two boys got out of the car, walking around to the trunk of the car, and grabbing the bags of supplies.</p><p>“Holy fuck these are heavy,” Minho grunted, taking two bags at once and struggling. Chan took two and he was right, they were heavy. With their arms burning and teeth gritted, they waddled towards the gym, panting heavily as they entered and dropping the bags with a thud.</p><p>“Fuck,” Chan panted, “That was horrible.”</p><p>Minho leaned against the wall, running his hands through his hair. A light sheen of sweat covered his forehead and coated his hair and fuck, he looked sexy. Chan was trying not to stare. “Tell me about it.”</p><p>They dragged the bags towards the gym’s storage room and placed them in a small corner along with the other supplies they’d gotten. It was already taking up a good fifth of the room.</p><p>“Was that our last supply run?” Minho asked, placing his bag down. Chan slipped the list out of his pocket and looked it over. Everything was crossed out.</p><p>“Yep,” he replied casually, trying not to analyse the small feeling of sadness. Supply shopping with Minho had been somewhat of a highlight of his days. He didn’t want to lose it as quickly as he’d gotten it.</p><p>“Damn, we did well,” Minho laughed, “Only took two trips.”</p><p>Chan nodded, humming quietly. They left the storage room and entered the main hall. Decorations had started to be added, although they were sparse. There were banners, a few streamers and the lighting had begun to be set up. He spied a large disco ball in the corner waiting to be put up.</p><p>“Fuck, that’s gonna annoy me,” Minho pointed to a banner that was hanging lopsided. One of the pieces of tape had come off.</p><p>“Someone’ll fix it tomorrow,” Chan shrugged, beginning to walk to the door. Minho wasn’t following.</p><p>“This won’t take long,” Minho said casually, jogging over to a metal ladder. He carried it over to the banner and began his ascent to the top.</p><p>“Be careful,” Chan warned, realising the dad tone appearing in his voice. He could practically picture Minho rolling his eyes. The ladder shuddered as Minho climbed it. It looked loose. Chan thought he better hold it just in case. He began to make his way to the ladder as Minho leaned over to stick the banner down. The ladder shuddered again, this time with much more force.</p><p>And then everything went into slow-motion. Chan watched in horror as Minho’s foot slipped. He could see the sudden shock flash over Minho’s face as his body began to tumble.</p><p>He was falling. And Chan was running. Chan was running as fast as he could over to the ladder. Minho was falling faster. Much faster. Chan wasn’t sure if he was going to make it in time. He should’ve followed Minho to the ladder. He should’ve told him not to climb up. And now, he was going to break his arm or his leg, or if he fell badly maybe even his neck.</p><p>Minho slammed into Chan’s body with a powerful thud. Chan caught him, taking the force of the fall and his legs giving out in the process. Minho’s body tumbled into him and they both collapsed to the floor with the younger boy resting on top of Chan. They stayed in silence, breathing heavily.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Chan panted, “Are you okay?”</p><p>“Y-You… You caught me,” Minho shuddered, trying to catch his breath. They were close, dangerously close. Chan could feel Minho’s warm breath on his lips. Minho hadn’t let go of Chan and Chan hadn’t let go of Minho. His hands were settled firmly on Minho’s hips with Minho’s on his heaving chest. Neither of them had moved. Minho’s eyes were focused on Chan’s lips, soft breaths escaping his own. The moment was incredibly intimate. Chan couldn’t have been misreading the situation, right? This was a window of opportunity, right?</p><p>And so, Chan kissed him. </p><p>And he probably shouldn’t have but he did. He kissed Minho and Minho kissed him back. Chan fisted his hand into Minho’s hair, deepening the kiss as Minho cupped Chan’s face. His mind flicked back to that night. Kissing Minho. He’d forgotten how soft Minho’s lips were, how he whined every time Chan slipped his tongue into his mouth, how his hands roamed over Chan’s body. After a while, Minho broke the kiss and locked eyes with Chan. Something had changed. Gone was the heavy-lidded lust and the want.</p><p>Now, he looked afraid.</p><p>Minho immediately got up, pushing himself off Chan and stammering, “I… I-I shouldn’t ha- I should go.”</p><p>Chan watched in confusion, getting whiplash from Minho’s sudden change of mind. He watched as Minho backed away and quickly left the gym. He sat there, saying nothing, his mouth parted slightly. After everything sunk in, Chan buried his head in his hands.</p><p>“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Chan repeated over and over again, humiliated by his actions, “What the fuck was that about? Why the fuck did you do that?”</p><p>He’d been rash and now, he’d jeopardised everything.</p><p>Because nothing between him and Minho was going to be okay now.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Minho?” Seungmin asked softly, knocking on his bedroom door. He wasn’t sure if Minho would be sleeping now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Come in,” Minho answered, his voice low and weak. Seungmin entered and couldn’t stop his heart from shattering. It shattered every time he saw Minho, and he felt awful every time he did. This wasn’t Minho, this wasn’t supposed to have happened to him. Minho didn’t belong in bed, two large white casts on his legs and bruising all over his body. Minho didn’t deserve to spend all day crying at the pain. He didn’t deserve any of this.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How do you feel?” Seungmin inquired, walking over to Minho’s bed, and crawling into it with him. He was extremely careful when cuddling with Minho, making sure he was comfortable first and foremost. He had to put Minho first now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“My meds are just kicking in,” Minho explained, kissing Seungmin’s forehead gently, “I just feel more soreness than pain right now.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’ll fade,” Minho reassured, gripping Minho’s hand and nestling his head on Minho’s shoulder, “My uncle was hit by a car too. Mom had to take care of him, and she said that the first few weeks are the worst. After a while, it’s more annoying than painful.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho hummed, carding his fingers through Seungmin’s hair softly. They fell into a comfortable silence, the hum of the television filling the room. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry,” Seungmin whimpered, sniffling. He’d started crying. He’d been crying so much recently that he barely registered when he started. It was as normal as breathing. “I’m so sorry.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Stop apologising, Seungie,” Minho whispered, “It’s not your fault.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho had told him that more times than he could count. He could never force himself to believe that. He was the reason Minho was distracted. He was the reason Minho was even outside. He was the reason Minho was crossing the street.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was the reason Minho got hit by that car.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Look at me,” Minho told Seungmin, his voice serious, “Please stop apologising. I don’t blame you for any of this. I never did.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin nodded, tears streaming down his face. He could barely meet Minho’s eyes without feeling crushed by guilt.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I love you, Seungie,” Minho kissed both of Seungmin’s eyes, brushing the tears off his cheeks, “It breaks my heart seeing you cry.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin tried his best to stop his tears, for Minho. After a few minutes, there was a small knock on his door. Minho hummed, his code for ‘come in’ as his mother entered. She looked uneasy, holding the door frame tightly. Seungmin could feel worry building in his gut.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Minho,” his mother began, “Your dance coach called.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho’s head snapped to his mother, immediately hanging onto every word she was about to say. Seungmin held Minho’s hand in support, waiting for whatever news she had.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t know how to say this… but he’s not going to be working with you anymore,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It hit like a bomb. Minho’s hand left Seungmin’s grasp as the words settled. Minho’s eyes widened, fear growing in them as doubt about his future seemed to begin to permeate into his body.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Wha-what?” Minho stuttered, looking desperately at his mother, “What does that-why?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was beginning to cry, tears building in his eyes. Seungmin wished he could do something, anything. He just had to watch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He said it wasn’t beneficial for his work to still be coaching someone who couldn’t perform. I’m so sorry, Min,” She looked sympathetic, like Seungmin she was unable to really do anything. She just had to watch her son shatter in front of her. “Your father and I are gonna start looking for more coaches for when you get better. We can manage this, okay?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She gave a weak smile, tears brimming in her eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Can I be alone for a while?” Minho asked, his voice breaking. She nodded and quickly left, leaving Seungmin and Minho alone in his room. Minho broke down into ugly sobs that tore through his throat. Seungmin was crying too, unable to stop at seeing the one person he’d ever loved be in so much pain. He sat up, letting Minho rest his head against his chest and weep into it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re gonna get better,” Seungmin whispered, “You’ll get better, and your coach will take you back.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“My career is over,” Minho choked out, “All of it.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin couldn’t believe Minho was saying this. How could he be so pessimistic?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t say that,” Seungmin said, stroking Minho’s face and wiping away his tears as he had done before.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry, Seungmin… but can you go?” Minho asked, sniffling, and pulling his head from Seungmin’s chest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Huh?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Can you leave? I don’t want to see anyone right now,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“M-Minho, I...,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Please, leave me alone,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His voice was firm, tears streaming down his cheeks and pattering on his clothes. He was practically begging Seungmin to go, his eyes pleading.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, Seungmin left. He could barely see Minho’s front door as he went, his eyes overwhelmed by tears.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Minho pounded on the door to Seungmin and Jeongin’s apartment. He was flustered, completely unsure of what to do. He hadn’t expected Chan to kiss him. He hadn’t even realised Chan had felt that way.</p><p>And he’d kissed him back. And he’d enjoyed it. He’d really liked kissing Chan. He just… couldn’t. He couldn’t be <em>with</em> Chan.</p><p>“Who is it?” Seungmin’s voice called from the other end, slightly hesitant from the persistent banging.</p><p>“Minho,”</p><p>The door unlocked soon after that. “Minho, what are you doi-”</p><p>Minho barrelled into Seungmin, hugging his body tightly before suddenly releasing all his unshed tears. Seungmin, completely taken aback, held Minho’s shaking body as he quietly hushed him.</p><p>“Seungie, is everythin-... oh my God, is he okay?” Jeongin asked, entering the hallway before his eyes widened.</p><p>“Can you get some tea going?” Seungmin asked, stroking his hands through Minho’s hair, “Shh, Min. It’s gonna be okay. Do you want to come to the couch and tell me what happened?”</p><p>Minho whimpered weakly and nodded his head, letting Seungmin lead him into the living room as the rumble of the kettle filled the room. They settled on the sofa with Seungmin keeping his arms around Minho as he tried to steady his breathing.</p><p>“Just focus on breathing,” Seungmin reminded, taking deep breaths, and encouraging Minho to follow him. They stayed with each other quietly, breathing in and out steadily. Jeongin entered with a cup of tea, placing it on the coffee table and placing a reassuring hand on Minho’s shoulder.</p><p>“He kissed me,” Minho finally spoke up, breaking the soothing silence that had settled throughout the apartment. Jeongin sat down on a chair opposite, crossing his legs, and looking worried.</p><p>“Who did?” Seungmin questioned, still running his fingers through Minho’s hair. The eldest boy felt a little guilty about how he’d completely drenched Seungmin’s shirt as well as interrupted his evening with Jeongin. He just didn’t know where else to go.</p><p>“Chan,” the crying boy explained, sniffling, and beginning to sit up. Seungmin and Jeongin quickly looked at each other, wide-eyed and shocked. Finally, Seungmin spoke up:</p><p>“Why did he kiss you?” Seungmin asked as Minho picked up the mug of tea and gently sipped on it.</p><p>“We… had a moment,” Minho’s mind went back to the moment in the gym. The way his body had frozen up as he’d fallen and the wave of relief he’d felt as Chan had caught him. He thought back to the intense closeness they’d shared. How soft Chan’s lips looked, how his eyes stared intensely at Minho, genuine concern pooling in them. How much Minho had wanted to kiss him that moment. How his heart had soared when Chan had closed the space between them. And then the crushing weight of fear pushing down on him. “I wanted him to kiss me. I don’t know why I’m freaking out or why I’m crying. I just… the moment I stopped kissing him, I just felt… completely terrified and I had to get out of there.”</p><p>“I think I know what happened,” Seungmin said quietly.</p><p>“You do?”</p><p>Minho was confused. How could Seungmin know? How did he sound so sure?</p><p>“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how we broke up, Min,”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you for reading &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. TAUT</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The dance was vaguely 70s and 80s-themed and so, he’d found a matching denim jacket and jeans combo which he instantly fell in love with. He kept it simple with a white tucked t-shirt, but he had to admit, he looked really good.</p><p>And the jeans did wonders for his ass.</p><p>“You look so gay… I love it,”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i worked my ASS off to get this in time for hyunjin's birthday<br/>so happy birthday hyunjin!!! THE 4th gen it boy and a wildly talented rapper, dancer, vocalist as well as a stunning visual</p><p>i hope y'all enjoy &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“Hi Seungmin,” Minho muttered, opening the door for him to enter. Seungmin was impressed at how quickly Minho had recovered, now being able to walk with minimal difficulty. That was good.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One of the very few good things at the moment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I think we should talk,” Seungmin announced as Minho walked over to his bed. His face was pale, with dark bags encircling his eyes. He’d never seen Minho like this, so rundown.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We do?” Minho asked nervously. ‘We should talk’ was never related to good things. Seungmin knew how it sounded. The younger boy followed Minho to his bed, sitting cross-legged on it as Minho lay against his headboard.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m worried about you,” Seungmin confessed, scanning Minho’s features. He’d been worried about Minho for months. The way he’d slowly become reclusive, ignored commitments, and slept for most of the day wasn’t a good sign. His mood was then reflected in the dishevelled nature of his room. A corpse of clothes lay on the floor, thick and dense. Windowsills gathered dust and the thin blinds stayed low, drenching the room in a muted grey.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m okay,” Minho replied, not wanting to have this conversation. Lately, he never wanted to speak to Seungmin. The younger boy put all the effort into calling, texting, FaceTiming Minho. He gave nothing in return and yet, Seungmin never gave up. He was far too in love with Minho to give up on him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re not okay, Minho. And you’re not fooling anyone,” Seungmin snapped, raising his voice suddenly before realising he better control himself if he wanted this conversation to go anywhere, “You’re distant and… you’re cold. I feel like you’re never here with me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho sat in silence for a while as Seungmin finished, his voice wavering. Part of him just wanted to scream at Minho and tell him everything that was bothering him, how selfish he was being, how Seungmin was putting his whole life on pause for Minho and getting absolutely nothing in return.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And another part just wanted to crawl into Minho’s arms and cry, cry until his head hurt and his eyes stung. Having this conversation could risk losing Minho and Seungmin couldn’t even comprehend that possibility.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I-,” Minho began before being interrupted by Seungmin, “I know you’re gonna say that it’s because of your accident… and I understand that. I understand how hard this has been for you and I wish I could make it okay, but I need you too. I need you to be here for me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho looked upset, wrestling with thoughts. Seungmin felt his stomach twisting anxiously. He couldn’t bear waiting for what Minho was saying. Couldn’t bear the thoughts permeating his head that suggested this could be over.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m… I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to continue being together,” Minho said quietly. He couldn’t meet Seungmin’s eyes, and the younger boy could see tears falling from his face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The words hit like a freight train, knocking all of the wind out of Seungmin. He felt like he was in free-fall, like the ground had given out underneath him, like he was an untethered balloon floating into the sun. And then he was crying too. It came fast, with quick tears spilling out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What? Wha… Was it something I said? I’m sorry… if it was. I’m sorry. Just… please don’t leave me. Please,” Seungmin begged, shuffling forward to hold Minho’s hands. “Please. Please, Minho.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re making this harder than it has to be, Seungmin,” Minho said breathily, his voice breaking, “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this… and this is for the best.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“For the best?” Seungmin whined, reaching to Minho’s face and trying to get him to meet his eyes. He had to see the pain he was causing him. That would convince him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I saw your phone,” Minho exhaled, “You rejected your offer to law school. Was that for me?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin didn’t answer but Minho knew what the response was. When Seungmin had done it, he’d had a good reason. He still had to stay and look after Minho. He couldn’t travel to Seoul and leave him like that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“My future’s over but yours isn’t,” Minho continued, “You can’t throw away everything for me. That’s not fair on you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Your future’s not over, Minho. You’ll find something… you’ll get back out there,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m holding you back,” Minho fought, sniffling, “I just want you to be happy and… being with me isn’t gonna do that.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What are you saying? If you want me to be happy, then stay with me,” Seungmin implored, “You’re breaking my heart, Minho.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He pressed his forehead to Minho’s, crying heavily. His whole body was shaking. He wasn’t just in free-fall; he was plummeting to the ground. He was hitting the ground and shattering.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m sorry, Seungmin,” Minho whispered, “I love you and you’ve done nothing wrong… this is on me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Please,” Seungmin’s voice broke as he started sobbing again. He couldn’t believe Minho was doing this. Two years gone in a few minutes. Something so monumental, so life-changing torn to shreds before his eyes. His body felt on the verge of collapse. His eyes stung, his face hurt, his hands shaky.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t deserve you,” Minho hushed, “You’re gonna do amazing things, Seungie, and I’m always gonna love you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Then, stay with me,” Seungmin croaked as Minho pulled away from him. They were both sobbing heavily, letting out broken sobs, “Stay with me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I need to let you go,” Minho responded, “Please, don’t fight me on this. It’s no use.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” And, he desperately wanted to stay and fight Minho. He wanted to beg and to scream and to cry and do everything in his power to convince Minho how bad of an idea it was.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But he left. He left because he knew Minho and he knew when Minho decided something he wasn’t going to let up. And he knew that the longer he stayed the longer he’d take to recover. And he knew the longer he stayed, the more he was hurting Minho. And he could never do that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He left with his eyes burning and his head pounding. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He left and he never came back.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“This is completely different though,” Minho contested. He couldn’t even think about what idea Seungmin could have in his head because these were different situations. He didn’t love Chan like he loved Seungmin. Jeongin had left, feeling the situation becoming private and was now residing in his and Seungmin’s shared room.</p><p>“You push, Minho,” Seungmin explained, “And it’s not your fault… but you do. You’ve pushed people away ever since the accident. You pushed me away… you pushed away any person who tried to get close to you and now you’re pushing Chan away.”</p><p>“B-But,”</p><p>“You might not remember this… but you told me when we broke up that you didn’t deserve me. I’ll always remember that because I thought, I still think that you were an amazing boyfriend. You were caring, you were compassionate, considerate. You were the full fucking package,”</p><p>Maybe Seungmin was starting to have a point. Maybe he didn’t want to admit that. Admit that he was afraid of falling in love with someone again. Afraid he wasn’t good enough to be loved. Afraid his presence poisoned his relationships.</p><p>He’d let his fears tear him and Seungmin apart.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Minho said softly, looking up to Seungmin, “I’m sorry for what I did that day.”</p><p>“I forgave you a long time ago,” Seungmin responded, “That Minho that broke up with me wasn’t the Minho I dated for two years. You were just doing what you thought was best… which was wildly misguided.”</p><p>“And wildly selfish,” Minho confessed, flushing with embarrassment, “I think I’ve realised that now.”</p><p>“It was… but you have the opportunity to change,” Seungmin responded, “You can stop pushing people away. Stop pushing Chan away.”</p><p>“I don’t-,”</p><p>“You do,” Seungmin answered for him, “You wouldn’t just sleep with some random guy, Minho. There’s something different about him, huh?”</p><p>Minho nodded sheepishly. Seungmin seemed to know Minho better than he knew himself. He looked up at Seungmin, brushing tears away, “Thank you, Seungmin. And I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“We’re better off as friends anyway,” Seungmin laughed softly, letting Minho rest his head on his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Three weeks.</p><p>Three weeks since Chan had kissed Minho. Three weeks of Chan feeling unbelievably guilty. He’d immediately blabbed to his friend group, thoroughly upset at his own actions. They’d been surprisingly sympathetic, something Chan wasn’t expecting, especially Felix. As his situation had grown complex and Chan had grown more distressed, his friends had exhibited a little more compassion than they were known for.</p><p>For the next few days, Chan spent his time avoiding Minho at any cost. Fortunately, they’d finished their supply run and didn’t have to spend time together now. So, Chan had gone to the decorations section with Felix whilst Minho had gone to lighting.</p><p>As weeks rolled on, he focused on planning the dance in his afternoons and his acting for the rest of the day. He read as many scripts as he could, finding some undeniably interesting ones and proceeding to go to auditions for the ones he was particularly drawn to. This had included a romantic comedy, a horror movie, a weepy drama as well as the pilot for an upcoming TV show. None were huge roles, but they were something and Chan was excited by the prospect of potentially booking a role. He was especially drawn to the romantic-comedy and the drama as they were both films featuring gay protagonists and seemed to rise above the usual cliche Chan hated in gay cinema.</p><p>Despite being a Tuesday night, the stress of his auditions and planning the dance had led Chan to be desperate for a night of fun. He had successfully booked a sleepover for Chaesun at Miyoung’s and was delighted when Jisung, Changbin and Felix accepted. They were just as exhausted and needed a night of drinking with friends to unwind. </p><p>Felix had completely devoted his time to the dance, being an invaluable part of the planning. He was wildly popular with all the moms with his bright, friendly attitude and enviable make-up. It was surprisingly hard work and Chan couldn’t help commending him for his strong work ethic. </p><p>Changbin spent most of his weeks complaining about his work piling up with several new songs he was being tasked to work on. He was known to overwork himself, something Felix was very vocal about disliking. Chan hoped that Changbin relaxed the most out of the group. He certainly deserved it the most. </p><p>Jisung had perhaps the most enjoyable three weeks, getting to know Hyunjin more. They were getting along incredibly well, with Jisung sharing everything with the three. Chan, despite his own romantic life crumbling apart, was actually really happy that Jisung had found someone. He was excited to meet Hyunjin for real, instead of just awkward small talk at the Java World counter. Jisung probably didn’t need a night of drinking, but he would never turn it down. Chan only hoped that he wouldn’t get completely shit-faced and begin describing his sexual encounters with Hyunjin. He’d already said enough in the break room.</p><p>“Drinking game!” Jisung demanded, hurrying over with a bottle of vodka to the table. Felix followed excitedly with four shot glasses, sliding them over to Chan and Changbin with a villainous giggle. Changbin was next to him, face-down on the table and mumbling along to the song playing in the background.</p><p>“Wake up, Binnie-hyung,” Felix whined, sliding into Changbin’s lap and swinging an arm around his shoulder, “You gotta play too.”</p><p>“I’m not asleep,” Changbin grumbled, craning his head up to meet Jisung who was excitedly pouring shaky shots of vodka into the glasses. The assaulting smell of vodka hit Chan’s nostrils and he was reminded that the last time he’d drank vodka, he’d slept with Minho.</p><p>“So, what are we playing?” Felix asked, taking a quick pre-shot before nestling his head into Changbin. They remained attached at the hip whilst Jisung thought about what game to play. Chan was happy to see them so close, especially when Felix had been texting him throughout the weeks with him being upset at how distant Changbin had gotten. He knew they’d be okay. They were made for each other.</p><p>“Never have I ever?” Jisung suggested, pouring Felix another shot. This time most of the vodka landed on the table, highlighting how the few shots of vodka were all suddenly hitting Jisung at once.</p><p>“We’re not sixteen, Ji,” Chan laughed as Jisung rolled his eyes, “Something else.”</p><p>“You come up with something then!” Jisung shot back, placing the vodka bottle in the centre of the table dramatically. Chan scanned around the room, settling on a small red packet of cards.</p><p>“Uno?”</p><p>“Uno!” Felix screamed, jolting Changbin, “Please, please, please can we play Uno?”</p><p>His eyes grew wide, trying to look as persuasive as possible. Jisung eventually gave in, his will as strong as a foldable chair, and agreed on Uno.</p><p>“How does that even work though?” he asked as Chan stood up to grab the packet of Uno.</p><p>“Me and Channie-hyung used to play it all the time,” Felix explained, “It gets you <em>fucked</em>. Every time you pick up a card and can’t play it, you drink. If you’re skipped, you drink. When you play a wild card, everyone drinks but you and if you’re called out when you have one card, you drink. Oh! And everyone but the winner also drinks.”</p><p>Changbin and Jisung’s faces fell in horror at the prospect of how drunk they were just about to get. They were gonna have horrible, horrible hangovers. Felix, however, looked particularly excited.</p><p>“Seeing as we’re taking shots instead of drinking beer, let’s get rid of the pick-up card and skip rule. We don’t want to have a liver failure here,” Chan reasoned, which Felix whined about. Changbin and Jisung agreed that it was probably for the best soon after.</p><p>“But I wanna get <em>drunk </em>drunk,” Felix complained.</p><p>“You’re such a lightweight, Lix. I think you’ll be fine with just this,” Changbin laughed, kissing Felix’s neck lightly. Felix sulked, smacking Changbin’s arm lightly.</p><p>Felix did get <em>drunk</em> drunk. Extremely fast at that fact. And as he got progressively drunker, he continued to slip up and just get drunker. This included Changbin watching his hand intently as he reached one card before screaming Uno just to get Felix to drink more. Jisung and Chan weren’t far behind, getting drunker and drunker the more games they played. Changbin remained the resident heavyweight of the group, although still pretty drunk. The exhaustion caused by his busy week wasn’t helping with his tolerance. Nevertheless, he was always the best at holding his alcohol as well as being the most caring when others were drunk.</p><p>“Okay, I win” Chan slurred, grabbing the cards, “Jisung, Lix and Binnie, you guys better drink.”</p><p>The boys groaned, pouring themselves more shots and downing them easily. After playing about 7 rounds, Changbin came out the winner with three wins. Chan close behind with two and Felix and Jisung with one themselves.</p><p>“Can I stay here tonight?” Jisung asked, looking up at Chan hopefully, “I’m way too drunk to get home safely.”</p><p>“Sure… as long as you help me clean up tomorrow,” Chan reasoned, smirking slightly. Jisung whined, getting up and stumbling over to Chan’s couch. Chan offered for him to share his bed, but it seemed that Jisung was opting for the couch. Changbin helped Felix up from his chair, whispering, “Come on sweetheart, let’s get you home.”</p><p>Felix fell into Changbin’s arms, hugging him and whispering something in his ear, eliciting a chuckle from Changbin. “No, no Felix. Not tonight.”</p><p>“Boo, prude,” Felix grumbled, hooking his arm with Changbin’s as they walked over to the door.</p><p>“Thanks for having us, hyung,” Changbin smiled, turning his head back to Chan who was walking over to his phone, “I’m sorry for Felix tonight.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about him. I’m glad he had fun,” Chan laughed, picking up his phone and seeing the several missed notifications.</p><p>“Holy fuck,” he said, his eyes widening, “Holy fuck, holy fuck, holy fuck!”</p><p>Jisung sprang awake, sitting up as Changbin and Felix stopped their exit.</p><p>“What? What is it?” Jisung inquired, getting up groggily and shuffling over to Chan.</p><p>“I got a part! A kinda big one!” Chan exclaimed, almost dropping his phone in shock. He could feel his mouth stretch into a wide grin as the realisation hit him. He got a part and a good one at that. He’d done it.</p><p>“In what? In what?” Felix asked, hurrying over as Jisung launched into Chan for a hug.</p><p>“The horror movie,” Chan explained, hugging Jisung back as the two other boys joined the drunken hug.</p><p>“We’re so proud of you,” Changbin chimed in as Felix and Jisung cheered happily. And for the first time in a while, Chan cried out of sheer happiness.</p><p>He cried and he cried because this was a start.</p><p>This was how his life got better.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“You look hot,” Hyunjin remarked, peering up from his phone with a grin on his face. The blonde hair boy was curled up on the couch and had been texting Jisung all afternoon with a big grin on his face. When Hyunjin was dating someone, he became insufferable. Minho couldn’t stand it.</p><p>He completely didn’t attribute it to the pain he was feeling from the constant cold shoulder he'd gotten from Chan. He expected himself to be closed off about it, not Chan.  However, Minho had really freaked out and he guessed that maybe Chan either felt bad or was embarrassed… or both.</p><p>“Night of the dance,” Minho explained, turning around to show off his outfit, “Gotta look retro.”</p><p>He’d gone all out for it and he kind of loved how he looked. The dance was vaguely 70s and 80s-themed and so, he’d found a matching denim jacket and jeans combo which he instantly fell in love with. He kept it simple with a white tucked t-shirt, but he had to admit, he looked really good.</p><p>And the jeans did wonders for his ass.</p><p>“You look so gay… I love it,” Hyunjin exclaimed, scanning Minho up and down, “Chan’s gonna be blown away.”</p><p>“I’m not doing this for him,” Minho refuted, pouting slightly. He was starting to regret telling Hyunjin about his potential but unsolved feelings towards Chan and the whole situation with the kiss. They were roommates though. He had some right to know.</p><p>“Okay, well if it hypothetically is, you’re ensuring his eyes are on you the whole night,” Hyunjin pointed out as Minho turned back to the mirror, “God, your ass looks amazing in those.”</p><p>“I know right,” Minho laughed, grabbing a pair of vintage sunglasses from the counter and placing them on, “I gotta go but I’ll be back later tonight.”</p><p>“If anything happens, please share!” Hyunjin added, leaning over the sofa to stick his head into the hall.</p><p>“It’s an elementary school dance… nothing’s gonna happen,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan had to admit that they’d outdone themselves.</p><p>The gym looked incredible. 80s music thumped on the speakers as he entered, hand intertwined with Chaesun’s. He’d opted for a Hall and Oates-inspired costume with some pink corduroy jeans and a plain white t-shirt tucked into them, minus a terrible fake moustache. Chaesun was wearing a Madonna-inspired dress with way too many frills and ruffles to be practical, but she loved it. She’d asked for Felix to do her make-up, and after Chan’s slight hesitancy at promoting make-up use at a young age, he’d allowed Felix to do it. He’d made sure to stress that Chae didn’t need make-up to be beautiful and she should wear it for herself only.</p><p>A large disco ball spun above the designated dancing area as various children funnelled onto the floor, running and screaming. It was equally gaudy and perfect, definitely down to Felix’s love of retro cheese. He’d perfected it.</p><p>“It looks amazing!” Felix exclaimed, beaming as he looked around the gym. He was wearing a god-awful green and pink windbreaker with splashes of yellow and purple. He’d paired it with a bright yellow shirt and some high-waisted jeans to complete the look. He really pulled it off though.</p><p>“All your hard work, baby. You did a great job,” Changbin hummed, pressing a soft kiss to Felix’s cheek and keeping their hands gripped together. He was channelling Billy Idol in a leather jacket and leather pants, along with black fingerless gloves and a tight-fitting black t-shirt underneath. Felix hadn’t stopped talking about how sexy he looked.</p><p>“You all look incredible!” Eunha said excitedly, stopping in front of them and admiring their outfits. Chan was happy to see that everyone had gone all-out on the costumes as he was slightly fearing that his group would be the only ones. Eunha was wearing a lilac pantsuit with large shoulder pads along with her hair being styled with way too much hairspray to be healthy. Chan sent Chaesun to play as they briefly spoke to her, exchanging outfit comments and congratulating her on the organisation.</p><p>Eventually, they broke away with Eunha going to continue running things smoothly whilst Felix demanded that Changbin dance with him. Chan, not feeling in the mood to dance right now, opted to go over to the drinks bar and watch Chaesun dance with her friends. He’d seen her hurry off into a group and start shouting and giggling happily and he’d felt his heart soar. Seeing his little girl so happy was enough for him. Everything else was just extra.</p><p>Pouring some fake-smelling punch into his cup, Chan spotted Minho over in his usual spot. He felt a twang of guilt as he looked at the boy, who honestly seemed miserable… or maybe just bored. Chan didn’t stare too long to differentiate between the two. He couldn’t deny that Minho looked amazing though. Double denim really suited him. Chaperone duty really didn’t though. He looked as if he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. Chan wished he could go up to him and try and make his night better, crack some jokes, offer to dance with him… but he just couldn’t face it. He felt so guilty, so humiliated about how he’d acted. He was sure that Minho wouldn’t want to be around him.</p><p>“Hi… I’m sorry to bother you but I love your outfit,” A voice called from Chan’s left. It was deep and husky with a tinge of flirtation to it. Chan flicked his eyes up from the punch to meet the gaze of a smiling black-haired man, leaning against the bar. His smile seemed innocent enough, but his look felt more… charged. Hooded eyes scanning Chan’s features.</p><p>“Oh, thank you,” Chan responded politely, raising his drink and taking a sip. God, it tasted awful. The man kept the smile on his face, as he spoke again, “I’m Minjun, you’re Chan, right?”</p><p>Chan nodded as Minjun began to pour himself a drink from the bar. He was… moderately attractive Chan thought. Nothing out of this world… nothing like Minho. Thoughts about Minho began to fill his mind as Minjun got his drink. Thoughts about Minho were a regular occurrence for Chan.</p><p>“Yeah,” Chan laughed politely at nothing very funny as he looked over to where Minho was, “Are you a parent here?”</p><p>Even bored out of his mind, he looked beautiful, and it stung so much that Chan had ruined everything they had going with that kiss. Part of him couldn’t blame himself for kissing Minho but the more rational, logical side of him knew it was the wrong thing to do.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m one of the few single dads here,” Minjun explained, nursing his drink, “Hwayoung’s my daughter.”</p><p>He really emphasised the word single and what he was doing was obvious to Chan by now. Chan didn’t recognise his daughter’s name. Hwayoung. She probably wasn’t in Chae’s class.</p><p>“Oh, I didn’t know there were other single dads here,” Chan chuckled innocently, avoiding Minjun’s eyes. He didn’t feel like pointless flirting, especially when he was so hung up on another guy.</p><p>“I guess we better stick together then, huh,” Minjun hummed, sliding closer and placing a hand on Chan’s. His eyes moved from Minjun over to Minho, who was looking over at the two of them. They made brief contact before Minho huffed and left the gym. Chan felt his stomach twist. That wasn’t the reaction someone who hated him would have, right? That had to be something. Was Minho jealous? Did Minho like him? His mind became occupied with questions, making him temporarily forget Minjun’s hand on his.</p><p>Snapping back to reality, Chan drew his hand away from Minjun’s and spoke, “Can you excuse me?”</p><p>Minjun nodded, although didn’t look too pleased, allowing Chan to leave the drinks bar as he made his way towards the exit of the gym. As he passed, he spied Felix and Changbin dancing together. Felix had his head resting against Changbin’s and they were swaying gently to the ballad that was echoing through the gym.</p><p>Exiting the gym, Chan found Minho sitting on the concrete steps, a trail of smoke leaving him. The November air hit Chan hard as he escaped the warmth of the gym, making his cheeks flush. As the door to the gym closed with a thunk, Chan suddenly regretted this entire decision. He had no right to follow Minho or talk to him for that matter.</p><p>And now, he was outside, only a few feet from him and he had nothing to do. Shuffling awkwardly, Chan leaned against a cold metal railing, trying not to be creepy and watch Minho. After a few seconds, Minho turned around and his eyes widened, lips parting slightly.</p><p>“Oh… Chan,” he said softly. He didn’t look all too upset. His face was unreadable. Chan had to say something. It would be infinitely more weird and awkward if he didn’t. This was a chance, an opening. He had to take it.</p><p>“Can we talk?” Chan suggested, bracing for rejection. Minho nodded gently, silently motioning for Chan to sit down on the steps next to him. The older boy walked over, still feeling a little nervous, and sat down on the cold concrete with Minho. The smell of cigarette smoke suddenly hit him, and he noticed the lit cigarette in Minho’s hand.</p><p>“I didn’t know you smoked,”</p><p>“I shouldn’t,” Minho remarked, making Chan laugh quietly. He brought the cigarette up to his lips and inhaled the smoke, closing his eyes gently. His lips were so pretty. Chan had to make sure he wasn’t staring. They fell into silence and Chan felt awkwardness take over his body. He’d asked to talk and was doing the opposite.</p><p>“I’m sorry… for kissing you,” Chan finally spoke up, feeling shame flush his face, “It was wrong, and I made you uncomfortable.”</p><p>“I’m sorry for leaving,” Minho responded, and Chan was hit with surprise. Minho didn’t need to apologise at all. He was the one at fault here.</p><p>“You don’t have to apologise,”</p><p>“I probably should’ve given you an explanation… as to why I left. That was immature of me,”</p><p>“You had every right to leave,”</p><p>“Should we just say we both fucked up and we’re sorry?” Minho laughed, trying to ease the tension. Chan still thought that Minho didn’t have anything to apologise for, but he wasn’t in the mood to fight Minho on that, especially when Minho was allowing for conversation.</p><p>“I really like you, Minho,” Chan confessed because there was no use hiding it anymore. He liked Minho, a lot. He thought about Minho, about kissing him, holding him, sleeping with him. “You’re caring, you’re funny, and you’re beautiful and I think about you a lot. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we slept together.”</p><p>Chan didn’t meet Minho’s eyes as he spoke, feeling his cheeks flush heavily. He waited for some response, only receiving the faint crackle of the flame at the end of Minho’s cigarette.</p><p>“I’m sorry… that I pushed you away,” Minho admitted, exhaling the smoke, “I’ve kind of been doing it since we met. I pushed you away after we slept together, and I kept my distance so we wouldn’t have gotten too close… and I completely closed off when you kissed me. And I really wanted you to kiss me. That’s the stupid thing. I really enjoy who I am around you. It’s easy. I don’t really understand my feelings right now but I’m definitely sure that I like you.”</p><p>They both fell into silence again, with Minho reaching out and holding Chan’s hand. He didn’t need to speak any more to get his point across. He felt his breath hitch as Minho’s soft skin melding into his, linking fingers. Minho’s hands radiated warmth, in contrast to the blocks of ice for hands that Chan possessed. Minho didn’t seem to mind though. The younger boy shuffled closer, so his body was pressed next to Chan’s. As they sat and Minho finished his cigarette, the cold air trailed over their faces, pinkening their ears and noses. Every few moments, Chan would glance at Minho’s rosy features and just admire how gorgeous he was.</p><p>“I should probably head back inside,” Chan muttered, not wanting this to go any further as much as his whole body was yearning for it. Minho still hadn’t figured out his feelings, it was wrong to take advantage of his confusion. Chan slowly stood up, removing his hand from Minho’s as the boy remained seated.</p><p>“Before you go,” Minho began, putting his cigarette out on the concrete and pulling out his phone, “Can I get your number?”</p><p>Chan grinned to himself, taking Minho’s phone in his shivering hands and typing in his details. He passed it back with a smile.</p><p>“I’ll text you,”</p><p>“I’ll look forward to it,”</p><p>The warmth of the gym struck Chan as he entered, being almost blinded by the spinning lights bursting from the disco ball. He could see Chaesun dancing with a group of girls to a song she definitely didn’t know. Felix and Changbin were at the snack bar, Felix pressed up to Changbin as closely as he could whilst still keeping it family-friendly. Chan waved to them as Felix spotted him, walking over to the two men.</p><p>“Where’d you go?” Felix asked, turning to Chan whilst Changbin kept his hands firmly on Felix’s tiny waist, “We saw you talking to that cute guy… anything to do with that?”</p><p>Chan had completely forgotten about Minjun and suddenly realised what it could have seemed like. Chan laughed softly, “No, not to do with him… I spoke to Minho.”</p><p>“You’re back on speaking terms?” Changbin asked.</p><p>“Just now… I told him I liked him,” Chan admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. Changbin looked worried, waiting for Chan to elaborate whilst Felix’s face grew hopeful. He’d been rooting for Chan and Minho pretty overtly despite Chan’s insistence that nothing was going to happen. “He reciprocated it.”</p><p>“Yes!” Felix exclaimed, pulling away from Changbin’s grip and leaping into Chan’s arms, “I knew it! I knew it!”</p><p>Chan couldn’t stop his laughter as Felix unleashed all his energy onto Chan whilst Changbin watched fondly. Chan gripped Felix’s arms and tried to stop him from bouncing, explaining, “Easy, Lix. I’m giving him time. He needs it.”</p><p>Felix stopped his leaps and settled on the ground, still keeping Chan enveloped in a hug. “What has happened to you? Almost employed! Mature! You’re a brand-new Chan.”</p><p>Changbin came up to the two of them, hugging Chan from the back and no longer caring about the confused stares they were receiving.</p><p>Chan could’ve burst out crying right there.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>The dance had finished about half an hour ago with parents and children trickling out of the gym and out into the bitter breeze. Minho had remained outside for a while, enjoying the peaceful night and the gentle thrum of the music in the background. After helping with the clean-up, he’d gone back outside for a final smoke before going home. Whilst pressing the cigarette to his lips, he pulled out his phone and dialled Seungmin’s number.</p><p>
  <em>“Minho? Are you okay?”</em>
</p><p>Smoke escaped his lips as he replied to Seungmin, “Hey, Seungie. I’m amazing.”</p><p><em>“The dance was fun then?” </em>He could hear the smirk in Seungmin’s voice as he spoke.</p><p>“I told him how I felt,” Minho said, unable to fight the smile on his face. He was beyond happy that he and Chan were talking again… and when Chan had confessed his feelings, he’d wanted to run up to the roof and just scream.</p><p>
  <em>“You did!? That’s great… did he reply how I thought he would?”</em>
</p><p>“He told me first,” Minho burst out laughing as Seungmin squealed over the line. <em>“I’m so happy for you, Minho. Wow. That’s… I’m so proud of you.”</em></p><p>“Proud of me?”</p><p><em>“You’re finally letting yourself be happy,”</em> He could hear Seungmin’s little sniffle over the call, <em>“I’ve been waiting for that day.”</em></p><p>“I love you, Seungie,” Minho beamed, feeling tears pooling slightly in his eyes. They spoke for a while, both crying and Seungmin was right.</p><p>Minho was letting himself be happy. He deserved it.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Minho?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He turned his head to the sound of his voice being called and felt his body froze. There was Seungmin, taller than before but still with that same charming smile. He was holding a take-away coffee and dressed in a smart suit. His face lit up as he saw Minho and he walked over. “I thought that was you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“S-Seungmin?” He was stunned. They hadn’t seen each other since that day in Minho’s room. He’d heard about Seungmin leaving for law school and when moving to Seoul, Minho had thought of the possibility he might run into Seungmin, but it was all too real now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do you want to sit and catch up?” Seungmin asked, still keeping a friendly demeanour. Minho nodded sheepishly, not really knowing why Seungmin was being so friendly. Exes never acted like this. He knew Seungmin was different but the way they’d left things, what Minho had done to him, well he was surprised that Seungmin even acknowledged his existence. They made their way to a faded park bench and sat together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How have you been?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m a dance teacher now. Ballet for kids, modern for adults,” Minho explained, picking at his fingernails.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s great. I’m really happy for you,” He sounded so genuine when he spoke. Seungmin’s greatest charm was perhaps how genuine he was with people. No ulterior motives or two-faced lying.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Law school, right?” Seungmin nodded in response. “How’s that going for you?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s hard… really hard,” He laughed honestly, sipping at his coffee. Minho felt himself grow further at ease with every cheerful laugh or friendly smile. He couldn’t believe that this was the Seungmin whose heart he’d broken and still felt guilty over.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re smart. I’m sure you’re gonna ace it,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Seungmin shrugged and Minho laughed quietly. Always so modest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I met someone,” Seungmin chimed… and Minho was expecting to feel a sting of jealousy but there was nothing. He was happy for Seungmin. Incredibly so. “His name’s Jeongin. You should meet him sometime.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Minho nodded, not really intending to follow through but remaining polite. “Have you found anyone?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ve mostly been focusing on work at the moment,” Minho blushed, a little embarrassed. The thing about work was true but… he still didn’t want to get into a relationship. Too messy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Look, Seungmin, can I just say sorry for what happened between us... I hope you can forgive me,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Water under the bridge. I won’t act like I wasn’t hurt but… why hold onto the past?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was right. He was so much wiser than Minho ever was. Seungmin reached into his pocket and handed a small business card to Minho.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Call me sometime. I’d love to stay in touch, Minho,” Seungmin smiled, standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets. He waved a small goodbye and continued on his way as Minho remained on the bench, twisting the card around in his hands.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Maybe he would call him.</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you so much for reading!!</p><p>chan's outfit inspo - <a href="https://miro.medium.com/max/4000/1*MznDo3FLkiEfF52HUjlNyA.jpeg">here</a><br/>minho's outfit inspo - <a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/Tg7WRACUmHZTFQ7Wt8/giphy.gif">here</a><br/>changbin's outfit inspo - <a href="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/01/28/00/9060112-6638499-image-m-95_1548635565963.jpg">here</a><br/>felix's outfit inspo - <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/73/3d/e8/733de8fb07c3f88c3a1d3be73be2b1a6.jpg">here</a> </p><p>i honestly think they'd all look AMAZING in these so pls jyp can we have 80s themed stage outfits</p><p>(also realistically i feel like 2min probably wouldn't be on speaking terms but fuck it, i want a cute ot8 fic with 2min being a divorced couple who platonically still love each other)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. LOOSE ENDS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>How about… we do it in the shower then?”</p><p>“Do you want me to slip and break your dick?”</p><p>“That’s… actually one of my kinks,”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry this took a little longer than a week to come out!! school was pretty hectic but i've got a little more time to work on this fic now and will update more frequently</p><p>this was originally going to be the final chapter with the next being an epilogue but i'm so in love with this fic that i want to extend it and let you guys spend more time with these characters</p><p>once again, thank you so much for all your lovely comments - i've started replying which i wasn't going to do originally but y'all are so lovely &lt;3</p><p>ALSO happy belated 3rd year anniversary to SKZ!! i was gonna try and get this out on the 25th but it was nowhere near the quality i wanted it to be so i hope this late celebration suffices</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chan’s knee wouldn’t stop bouncing. He always fidgeted when he was uncomfortable. Different situations called for different fidgets. Awkwardness called for knuckle-cracking, tension called for nail picking and nerves called for knee-bouncing. His knee was practically in overdrive as the minutes ticked past, his eyes scanning over his lines in an attempt to lock them down perfectly. There weren’t too many to learn and they weren’t exactly profound or hard to understand, but Chan wanted to do as well as he possibly could. </p><p>At first, he was a little hesitant about auditioning for a horror movie but after a little education from Changbin in the form of movie marathons, he’d grown some appreciation for the genre. He’d had to pay attention to the movies or else he’d be treated to Felix desperately clinging onto Changbin out of fear and feel all the more lonely. Changbin had been curious and read over the script, deeming it a little cliche but a lot better than ‘the garbage being pumped out now’.</p><p>“Christopher Bang?” a man announced, entering the grey-toned waiting room. Chan felt his heart leap as his name was mentioned. Looking up, he met the eyes of a solemn-looking man in glasses, clutching a clipboard. The use of Christopher instead of Chan helped add to the already uncomfortably formal atmosphere of the audition. Standing up, he followed the man down the hallway to a door and was instructed to enter. His heart pounding, he pushed open the door.</p><p>The room was fairly small with large windows on the back wall, allowing the bright sunlight to beam inwards. Three people sat at a foldable table, making some notes as Chan entered. A camera on a tripod pointed against a white backdrop where Chan assumed he was supposed to stand in front of.</p><p>“Good afternoon, Christopher,” the woman in the centre said, a friendly smile on her face. Chan smiled back, standing on the black tape cross at the centre of the room and replying, “Hi, thank you so much for having me. And please, call me Chan.”</p><p>“It’s great to have you here, Chan” a man to the woman’s right added, looking over the clipboard in front of him, “So, you’re auditioning for the role of Jungjin?</p><p>“That’s right,” Chan nodded, holding his hands by his side and trying not to fidget them too much.</p><p>“Moonsik will be your scene partner for the audition, so just start whenever you’re ready,” the woman explained, motioning to the man on her left who was holding a script. He smiled politely and gave a small wave. Chan cleared his throat, closed his eyes and took a deep breath inward. His heart was still thumping hard in his chest, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. Exhaling, his eyes fluttered open, and he began.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>The last line escaped Chan’s lips and a sigh of relief followed. He’d gotten through the scene and he thought it had actually gone well. Moonsik’s line readings had been a little stiff so Chan had to work overtime to try and sell it, but he’d managed. There’d been no big mistakes, maybe a few stumbles, but he’d tried to work them into the desperation that his character was feeling in his moment.</p><p>The man and woman finished up writing, placing their pens down and looking up to Chan. He tried to read their faces for some indication of how he did but they remained stoic and calm.</p><p>“Thank you for coming in, Chan,” the woman finally said, breaking the silence, “We’ll get in touch.”</p><p>Chan nodded and quickly bowed, leaving the room and letting out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. It was over. The first audition in months. There was a lot more riding on this. He just hoped that he’d done enough to get the role.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Jisung’s heartbeat finally steadied, settling into soft thumps as he closed his eyes and rested his head to Hyunjin’s chest, feeling it rise and fall softly. The blonde boy’s fingers combed through Jisung’s hair, feeling the slight sheen of sweat to his forehead.</p><p>“You okay?” Hyunjin whispered as Jisung roamed his fingers over Hyunjin’s bare stomach, “You’re quiet.”</p><p>“Just thinking,” Jisung replied, repeating slow concentric circles that elicited small giggles from Hyunjin.</p><p>“About what?” the blonde boy chuckled, pressing a gentle kiss to Jisung’s forehead and pulling the comforter further up to cover most of Jisung’s body.</p><p>“How good that was,” Jisung remarked, letting Hyunjin wrap his arms around his body and pulling them closer, “How good this is.”</p><p>Sex with Hyunjin was obviously great, Jisung had expected that, but Jisung somehow preferred the clingy cuddles that Hyunjin was desperate for afterwards.</p><p>“We can go again if you want,” Hyunjin offered, smiling excitedly and pulling Jisung into a kiss and starting to run his hands down Jisung’s sides. Jisung moaned softly, breaking the kiss and pressing his head to Hyunjin’s chest.</p><p>“I wish you’d offered that before I cleaned up,” he laughed, tangling his legs with Hyunjin’s. The blonde boy stroked some stray hairs from Jisung’s face, “How about… we do it in the shower then?”</p><p>“Do you want me to slip and break your dick?”</p><p>“That’s… actually one of my kinks,” Hyunjin commented dryly, rolling onto his back so Jisung could straddle his body, still holding his waist.</p><p>“Shut up,” Jisung giggled, pressing soft kisses to Hyunjin’s neck. Jisung adored kissing Hyunjin’s neck. The soft, lightly tanned skin was begging to be marked up by Jisung’s lips, for Jisung to declare it his. Removing his lips from Hyunjin’s neck, Jisung locked eyes with Hyunjin, the blonde boy’s eyes heavy-lidded and a flushed look on his face.</p><p>“You’re so beautiful,” Hyunjin breathed as Jisung felt his cheeks grow pink, “I can’t believe I get to be with you, to kiss you, to hold you.”</p><p>“<em>You’re</em> so cheesy,” Jisung teased.</p><p>“You love it,”</p><p>
  <em>I love you.</em>
</p><p>But, Jisung definitely couldn’t say that yet. Things were too amazing with Hyunjin right now to bring love into the equation. They’d spoken about being honest with feelings but that was too honest and too soon. Jisung had fallen hard <em>and</em> fallen fast.</p><p>“Hey,” Jisung began, “What would you say to meeting my friends one night?”</p><p>“Is that our next stop as a couple?”</p><p>“Who said we’re a couple?” Jisung joked playfully, splaying his hand on Hyunjin’s chest, “I’ve been treating this like friends with benefits.”</p><p>It was a risky joke, especially with Jisung’s intense feelings towards Hyunjin. If he knew Hyunjin like he thought he did though, he’d see it as a joke and nothing more.</p><p>“We’ve had way too many ice cream dates to just be friends with benefits,”</p><p>Jisung was pleased that he was right.</p><p>“Those were platonic,”</p><p>“And the making out was platonic too?”</p><p>“Now you get it,”</p><p>The two boys laughed, meeting eyes and sharing a chaste kiss. Jisung could see the fondness in Hyunjin’s eyes as he made small strokes on Jisung’s tan skin.</p><p>“I’d love to meet your friends,” Hyunjin whispered, removing a hand from Jisung’s dainty waist to intertwine their fingers.</p><p>“As a friend?” Jisung smiled, continuing the joke.</p><p>“No, as your boyfriend, dumbass,”</p><p>Jisung felt himself freeze. <em>Your boyfriend</em>. Had he meant that? He had to. Did he think they were boyfriends? God, he hoped so. They’d never said it officially but there seemed to be some unspoken exclusivity in their relationship. They devoted time to one another, texted one another first thing in morning and last thing at night. It felt like some kind of relationship.</p><p>“That’s the first time one of us has said that,” Jisung pointed out, resting his head on Hyunjin, hearing his heart thump quicker.</p><p>“Is that okay?... I didn’t want to assume but we’ve just…,” Hyunjin tried to explain, his voice trailing off. Jisung removed his head, gazing up at Hyunjin’s worried expression.</p><p>“It’s perfect,” the brown-haired boy reassured, “Hwang Hyunjin… my boyfriend.”</p><p>The words rolled smoothly off his tongue and he felt warmth in his chest bloom as they sunk in. He had a boyfriend. Hyunjin was his boyfriend. He beamed at the blonde-haired boy, unable to fight his grin.</p><p>“Han Jisung, <em>my</em> boyfriend,”</p><p>They kissed again, slowly locking lips and savouring the taste of each other. Hyunjin took his time, cupping Jisung’s face and stroking his thumb across Jisung’s cheek. The smaller boy allowed himself to be rolled onto his side, sliding bare legs over Hyunjin’s as he deepened the kiss. Hands roamed over bodies growing more heated, Hyunjin’s tongue slipping into Jisung’s mouth. Jisung had always seen making out as a means to an end, a stop along the way to the destination but with Hyunjin, it felt… wonderful. It was warm and comforting. Comforting in the way Hyunjin would roam his hands over Jisung’s body as the brown-haired boy softly moaned and warm in how their bodies stayed pressed to one another, fitting like puzzle pieces.</p><p>“Stay over tonight,” Jisung offered, slightly breathless and with swollen red lips, “I wanna cook you breakfast and do all that cute couple shit.”</p><p>Hyunjin responded by closing the distance between them instantly and fisting a hand into Jisung’s hair.</p><p>He assumed that was confirmation.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Minho slipped his hands around his cup of tea, letting the warmth permeate through the porcelain and onto his hands. With his round glasses perched on his nose, he flicked through the magazine splayed out on the breakfast bar. As his eyes scanned the various articles, the sound of keys in the lock alerted him of Hyunjin’s return. Closing the magazine, he put on his best teasing smirk and waited for the blonde-haired boy to enter the kitchen.</p><p>“I’m home, Minho!” Hyunjin called from the hallway with the familiar thump of his shoes being kicked off. He entered the main room, pulling his hair down and collapsing on the couch.</p><p>“Have fun last night?” Minho grinned, spinning on the stool to look at Hyunjin on the couch. Hyunjin rolled his eyes, resting his feet on the edge of the couch. “Don’t be jealous ‘cause I’m getting some and you’re not.”</p><p>“Ouch,” Minho whined, turning back to his magazine, “That’s really cruel, Jinnie.”</p><p>“Soorry,” Hyunjin chimed from the couch. Minho didn’t turn, intent on guilt-tripping Hyunjin. “Nope, not talking to you.”</p><p>“I’m meant to be the dramatic one here, hyung,” Hyunjin chuckled, standing up and walking over to Minho on the stool, “I bring good news as well.”</p><p>Hyunjin hooked his arms around Minho’s body, resting his head on the older boy’s shoulder.</p><p>“What’s your news?” Minho asked, eventually giving in after Hyunjin began to whine like an injured puppy and nuzzle his head against Minho.</p><p>“We’re officially official,” Hyunjin exclaimed, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he spoke. Minho felt Hyunjin’s infectious enthusiasm take over him and soon, he was smiling too. “That’s amazing, Jinnie!”</p><p>He spun around, pulling the taller boy into a tight hug, “I’m so happy for you.”</p><p>“He’s so cute… and domestic and caring and ugh!” Hyunjin gushed, his words dripping with fondness, “And! He asked me to meet his friends. That’s a big step, right?”</p><p>“I mean… becoming boyfriends is probably bigger but that’s a step in the right direction, nonetheless,” Minho answered, not realising the implication of Hyunjin meeting Jisung’s friends.</p><p>‘Cause if Hyunjin met Jisung’s friends, he met Chan and he’d get to know Chan. And he could potentially embarrass him because let’s be honest, as wonderful as Hyunjin was, he would definitely find a way to either tease Chan about Minho or embarrass Minho. He had to nip this in the bud as soon as possible.</p><p>“Does that mean you’re meeting Chan then?” Minho asked, already knowing the answer. Hyunjin broke into a smile, muttering something about Minho being ‘whipped’.</p><p>“Yes… Chan will be there,” Hyunjin laughed, slipping out of Minho’s grasp and waltzing into the kitchen to get a drink, “Don’t worry though, I won’t embarrass you.”</p><p>“Why don’t I believe that?”</p><p>“Now who’s being cruel?” Hyunjin countered, sipping on his water.</p><p>“Just promise, okay?” Minho reasoned, trying his best attempt at puppy eyes but appearing more feline, “I’ll cook you breakfast?... if that helps?”</p><p>“Jisung already cooked me breakfast,” Hyunjin grinned.</p><p>“You guys are practically fucking married,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>fruit cups</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You [19:28]</strong>
</p><p>we just parked</p><p>pls be good okay?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [19:28]</strong>
</p><p>what makes you think we won’t, ji?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [19:28]</strong>
</p><p>oh just past experience</p><p>i won’t forgive you for telling jaehyun about the time i pissed my pants when i was seven the FIRST TIME you met him</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [19:29]</strong>
</p><p>that was binnie!!</p><p>don’t blame me!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [19:29]</strong>
</p><p>:))</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [19:29]</strong>
</p><p>chan-hyung is the only one who acts normal around my dates</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Chan [19:30]</strong>
</p><p>&lt;3&lt;3</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [19:30]</strong>
</p><p>chan is the most normal period</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [19:30]</strong>
</p><p>anyway jinnie is asking why i’m on my phone so much so</p><p>be good</p><p>i’ll be up in a little bit</p><p> </p><p>“I’m nervous,” Hyunjin groaned, sliding his fingers between Jisung’s and squeezing. The smaller boy looked over to his gorgeous boyfriend, who was nervously chewing on his lip.</p><p>“They’re gonna love you,” Jisung reassured, lifting Hyunjin’s hand and kissing the top of it, “Besides, Chan already kinda knows you so that’s one down.”</p><p>“I guess,” Hyunjin responded, not sounding very sure. Jisung wished he had an easy way to calm his nerves.</p><p>“If they don’t like you, which is humanly impossible, I’ll just get new friends, okay?” Jisung joked which elicited a small laugh from Hyunjin, “Anyway, it’s game night so even if it’s a little awkward, you have a game to fall back on. Just don’t beat me.”</p><p>“No promises,”</p><p>“Right, no promises,”</p><p>Their hands remained intertwined on the journey up to Felix and Changbin’s apartment with Hyunjin still remaining nervous. Making their way towards the door, Jisung turned to Hyunjin with a look of ‘you ready’ which Hyunjin responded with a nod. With that, Jisung rapped on the door and waited for someone to open it.</p><p>“Heya!” Felix beamed, swinging the door open with a friendly smile. He made eye contact with Jisung before flicking over to Hyunjin who… was standing with his mouth agape.</p><p>“Um, Ji?”</p><p>The brown-haired boy turned to his boyfriend who was standing there, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Felix. “Jinnie?”</p><p>“How could you not tell me <em>you</em> were friends with LixStick?”</p><p>“You’re a fan?” Felix beamed to which Hyunjin nodded enthusiastically, snapping out of his dazed state. “I <em>love</em> your videos.”</p><p>“Well, Ji,” Felix grinned, “He’s a keeper.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“How did you just manage to forget telling me your best fucking friend’s boyfriend was fucking LixStick?” Hyunjin hissed, pulling Jisung into the kitchen as the three boys remained in the living room, setting up the games for the night. </p><p>Just riding the initial shock of the reveal, Hyunjin had walked in, still stunned. He’d remained smiley and cheerful, keeping the charming air that many people told him he had and greeted the other two boys with a beaming introduction. Felix was still riding the recognition high whilst Changbin was friendly if a little reserved. He seemed friendly and gave Hyunjin a polite greeting. He didn’t mention that he was already familiar with Changbin thanks to the several times he’d appeared on Felix’s channel. Chan came up and pulled him into a hug, something Hyunjin was initially taken by back, but eventually gave into because Chan gave a wonderful hug thanks to his broad upper body and large arms. He beamed, declaring that it was ‘nice to meet Hyunjin properly’ which the blonde boy reciprocated.</p><p>He’d offered to help Jisung prepare the drinks, and this was where he unloaded on him in the kitchen.</p><p>“I didn’t think it was important!” Jisung responded, keeping his voice in a stage-whisper. Hyunjin rolled his eyes, leaning against the counter and making sure he wasn’t visible from the living room.</p><p>“Fuck! I was nervous enough and now I’m meeting one of my fucking YouTube idols,” Hyunjin whined, throwing his head back and placing his head in his hands. Jisung closed the gap between them, holding Hyunjin’s waist and shushing him softly. Hyunjin brought his hands down, holding them on Jisung’s shoulders.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I should’ve said something,” the smaller boy apologised, pressing a chaste kiss to Hyunjin’s cheek. Hyunjin shook his head, stroking the back of Jisung’s neck. “Don’t apologise… I’m being dramatic. It’s honestly fine. I can manage.”</p><p>“Believe me,” Jisung began, “Felix will love having his ego stroked. I’m sure he likes you already.”</p><p>“Okay,” Hyunjin whispered, kissing Jisung’s forehead, “Let me get the drinks. Alcohol’ll loosen me up.” Jisung chuckled at that, detaching himself from Hyunjin and grabbing some wine glasses.</p><p>Balancing multiple wine glasses in his hands, Hyunjin entered the living room and placed them down on the table. Changbin and Chan took glasses of red wine, whilst Felix took a rosé along with Hyunjin. To his dismay, Jisung settled with water because he had to drive.</p><p>“So, what game first?” Hyunjin asked, looking around the table and gently sipping the soft blush alcohol. Laid out in front of him were about five games - two of which Hyunjin didn’t recognise. Felix reached over and picked up a game he did know - Pictionary.</p><p>“We’ll start easy,” Felix explained, opening the box, “And when we’re a little more inebriated, we can play some charades.”</p><p>“I hate charades,” Jisung grumbled, “It’s even worse when I’m sober.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin found out that he was surprisingly good at Pictionary. From working at his dad’s firm, he’d had the opportunity to sketch some interiors and found that he was a precise and neat artist, allowing his team to guess his given words relatively easily. However, he was no match for the actual artist - Jisung. His boyfriend was on a team with Changbin, the broad-shouldered boy declaring that Jisung was two teammates for the price of one. He was right. Jisung was lightning quick and incredible at drawing. He’d seen some of Jisung’s artwork (which was undeniably much better and awe-inspiring) but the way he could simply sketch such accurate drawings was undeniably impressive.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Hyunjin’s team lost. By the time they’d finished, he could feel his head growing lighter as the wine soaked into his body. Felix looked over to him, narrowing his eyes.</p><p>“Do you wear make-up, Hyunjin?” Felix asked, finishing his fourth glass. He’d become drunk relatively quickly with Jisung explaining that Felix was the lightweight of the group.</p><p>“No, I haven’t,” Hyunjin admitted sheepishly, blushing a little, “I really want to… but I don’t think I’d be good enough to try.”</p><p>“Please, let me do your make-up sometime,” Felix offered, grinning widely, “You’re already beautiful but wow, I can’t even imagine how good you’d look in make-up.”</p><p>“Uh,” Hyunjin gawked, not really believing what Felix had just said to him. Jisung looked over expectantly as Changbin scoffed, making Felix tell him how beautiful he was too. “Are you serious, Felix?”</p><p>Felix nodded his head, crossing his legs, “Deadly. It’ll be a lot of fun.”</p><p>“Oh my god, thank you,” Hyunjin blabbered, his eyes widening and a smile growing on his face. Jisung looked overfondly, gripping Hyunjin’s hand gently.</p><p>“I’m already looking forward to it,” Felix beamed, leaning over and grabbing the box of charades prompts.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I need a refill,” Chan huffed, collapsing onto the couch after his round. Jisung was bouncing up and down, happy at guessing Chan’s successfully. Felix was draped over Changbin, sulking at having not won the round. Hyunjin was beginning to see how competitive the friend group was. He was also starting to feel slightly jealous because his friend group had never done a game night before. He suspected however that it would really bring out Jeongin’s intense competitive side and potentially end with Seungmin having to restrain either him or Minho from attacking the other. Minho wasn’t showing it tonight because he had to make a good impression, but he was wildly competitive when it came to most things.</p><p>“Same,” Hyunjin groaned, “Do you want me to get you more wine?”</p><p>“I’ll come with,” Chan smiled, standing up and walking into the kitchen with Hyunjin following behind. As Jisung began his go and Felix began screaming guesses, the two boys entered the kitchen and began to get their drinks.</p><p>“You holding up alright?” Chan asked, pouring himself a glass of red wine, “This friend group’s a little intense.”</p><p>“No, you guys are really great,” Hyunjin responded, rubbing the back of his neck gently, “I can see why Jisung likes you all so much.”</p><p>“You’re sweet,” Chan grinned, sipping his wine, “I can see why Jisung likes you so much.”</p><p>“I’ve been meaning to thank you, by the way,” Hyunjin chimed, causing Chan to quirk his eyebrow, “For helping Jisung and I get together.”</p><p>“I figured you guys would’ve gotten there without me,” Chan answered modestly.</p><p>“Maybe… but I think you helped push me in the right direction. When you gave me Ji’s schedule, it made me guess that maybe Jisung liked me… or that I had some sort of a chance,”</p><p>“He’ll kill me for saying this,” Chan laughed with Hyunjin imagining Jisung’s face scrunching up in anger, “But you always had a chance. Jisung was like obsessed with you from the moment he first saw you.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Hyunjin could feel himself blush. He’d felt the same when seeing Jisung’s sparkling eyes and puffy cheeks. The way he grinned when taking Hyunjin’s order and the little bounces to the music as he made his latte. He was utterly captivating and had remained captivating for the entire time Hyunjin had known him. Chan nodded in response.</p><p>“If we’re exposing our friends,” Hyunjin began, knowing how much Minho was gonna hate him for this, “I guess I should probably tell you something.”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Minho really fucking likes you,” Hyunjin explained, watching as Chan blushed at the mention of his name, “He’s been gushing about the night of the dance since it happened.”</p><p>“As happy as that makes me, Hyunjin, I’m trying to give Minho some time to figure things out,”</p><p>“He’s close to figuring things out,” Hyunjin responded, “So, I really think you should ask him out. He talks about you all the time and I don’t think I can take anymore yearning.”</p><p>“I’ll think about it,” Chan smiled warmly, laughing slightly, “I just really don’t want to push him.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t believe you did that!” Minho wailed, hitting Hyunjin playfully but hard enough to show his annoyance. The blonde boy had stayed over at Jisung’s and had come back for lunch, a sinister grin on his face. Minho had hesitantly asked him what the smile was for and Hyunjin had divulged the events of last night. So, Minho had leapt on him and taken him to the couch.</p><p>“It’s for your own good!” Hyunjin defended himself, raising his hands in front of his face as Minho continued to whine. “You needed a push!”</p><p>“A push! A push! Not a fucking shove off a cliff!”</p><p>“I wasn’t going to say anything originally,”</p><p>“Like that helps,”</p><p>“But we got to talking and he’s just so wonderful! I desperately want you guys to be together and look after his kid and maybe adopt some cute little babies. You’ll thank me for this later!</p><p>“I’m so humiliated,” Minho grumbled, collapsing his body onto Hyunjin who pulled him into a tight hug. He allowed himself to be cuddled by the blonde-haired boy, giving into his warm body.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Hyunjin whispered, “It was a little out-of-line… but I stand by it as being a good idea. You should ask him out sometime because I doubt he’s gonna do it first.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Minho responded, feeling offended at the potential implications of Hyunjin’s words.</p><p>“No! Not like that! He’s just so fucking respectful and sweet that he doesn’t want to ask you out until you’re ready for a relationship... You are, aren’t you?”</p><p>“I think so,” Minho responded quietly, “Every time I think about it, I get scared.”</p><p>Hyunjin sat up, letting Minho get more comfortable in his lap. The blonde boy began to card his fingers through his hair and kissed Minho’s head. “I feel bad for saying something now. I just… I really want you to be happy but maybe, I shouldn’t have been so upfront about it.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Jinnie. Don’t worry. I just… I really <em>really</em> like him, and I don’t want to mess this up,” Hyunjin kept Minho pressed to his body, keeping his strokes consistent. Hyunjin always gave the best cuddles and Minho found himself feeling much better after a long time wrapped in Hyunjin’s arms.</p><p>“Anxiety and overthinking are a bitch and I know how hard it is to change that mindset,” Hyunjin whispered, “but you are fucking incredible, Lee Minho. Not only are you a hot piece of ass, but you are wildly talented, constantly hilarious, undeniably caring and one of the most wonderful men I’ve had the joy of meeting. Chan is lucky to even potentially have you and if he’s got any intelligence, he’ll love and care for you as much as you deserve… because you deserve so much love and you deserve to be happy.”</p><p>During Hyunjin’s speech, Minho hadn’t been able to fight the tears that had begun to spill out of his eyes and trickle down his cheeks. Sniffling, he nuzzled his head into Hyunjin’s chest. “I love you, Jinnie.”</p><p>“I love you too,” Hyunjin hushed, “I’m sorry for being a dick and stepping out of line.”</p><p>“I’m used to you being like that,” Minho retorted, laughing quietly and sniffling again. Hyunjin laughed too, pressing a final kiss to Minho’s forehead.</p><p>“Oh! It also turns out that Chan and Jisung are friends with none other than fucking LixStick.”</p><p>“Fuck off, Jinnie,” Minho laughed, not believing a word of what Hyunjin had just spouted.</p><p>“I’m being serious,” Hyunjin countered, pulling out his phone and bringing it into Minho’s eye line. The screen displayed a slightly blurred photo, but the proof was undeniable. On the screen was a drunk Hyunjin with his arm wrapped around an equally drunk blonde boy with sparkly make-up and a beaming smile.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Minho gasped, “He’s even prettier in real life.”</p><p>“And! He offered to do my make-up,”</p><p>“What the fuck is your life right now!?”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan entered the waiting room of the dance studio, having now become accustomed to the unfriendly grey wash of the room after going there so many times. He’d come a little earlier today in hopes of seeing Chaesun dancing, something she was incredibly shy about showing Chan. He knew he’d eventually see in her upcoming recital at the end of the school semester, but he was desperate to catch a peek before and see how she was getting on. He waved to the receptionist, who he’d learned was called Dowoon, and made his way towards Minho’s practice room. Music boomed through the hall, Swan Lake if Chan remembered correctly, as he arrived in front of the door.</p><p>Peeking in, he could see about seven girls all lined up by the mirror, practising their steps diligently as Minho watched carefully. He was calling out directions as each girl attempted to move in sync with another. His eyes settled on Chaesun, her hair tied up in two dark buns, with her taking the centre and performing some steps.</p><p>A proud smile worked its way onto Chan’s face as he watched his daughter. Totally not affected by bias, Chan had to say that she was the stand-out. Watching her move reminded him of Soojin. She was undeniably her daughter, embodying all the grace and serenity that Soojin had exuded. All the grace and serenity that Chan had watched slowly fade away.</p><p>Chae may never end up meeting her, but Soojin was a part of her, and her presence shone out when Chaesun danced. The girls finished up, Minho applauding all of them whilst handing out small notes to each. As he gave tips, he also offered to demonstrate what he was explaining.</p><p>He moved like the music, perfectly in step and time, his body flowing. Movements sharp and accurate but filled to the brim with elegance and meaning. He could see why Minho had been so successful in his youth. He was captivating to watch, every movement demanding constant attention. Minho’s moves were slow ripples cascading over a calm pond. They were small raindrops snaking down glass windows. Minho was the definition of elegance.</p><p>And Chan was in love.</p><p>Maybe it was too soon, maybe he didn’t really love Minho, maybe he was only in love with the idea Minho presented or the Minho he saw. But he didn’t care. At that moment, he knew that whatever part of Minho he was seeing, he was utterly head-over-heels in love with it.</p><p>He watched Minho wrap up, sending the girls on their way as they grabbed their bags to leave. Sensing things were coming to an end, Chan knocked on the door to the studio and gingerly entered, already smiling as Minho met his eyes and he too broke out in a smile.</p><p>“Hi,” Chan grinned, waving a small hand at Chaesun who was swinging her bag over her back and hurrying over to Chan excitedly.</p><p>“Daddy!” Chaesun hollered, leaping into Chan’s arms and attaching to him tightly. Chan spun her around, eventually letting her settle in his grasp. “You’re here early.”</p><p>“I came to watch you,” Chan confessed, making Chaesun blush slightly, “You were incredible, angel.”</p><p>“I’ve been working really hard,” Chaesun stated proudly, giving a toothy grin at the praise she was receiving. Chan leaned in to whisper, “You’re easily the best girl here.”</p><p>Chaesun giggled, kissing Chan’s head lightly as Chan let her down.</p><p>“Can you stay for a minute, Chan?” Minho asked, catching Chan as he was turning to follow Chaesun out.</p><p>“Go wait in the car, Chae. I won’t be long,” Chan explained, patting Chaesun’s backpack as she hurried out of the room. Chan turned back, his breath hitching as Minho took a long drink of his water. It felt cliched to find it so attractive, but the way Minho’s Adam's apple bobbed as he drank, and the small piece of midriff showing was irresistible.</p><p>“What’s up?” Chan asked, trying to fight the urge to pull Minho into a bruising kiss. His brown hair hung messily, slicked with sweat, and framed his face beautifully.</p><p>“I wanted to talk… and ask you something,” Minho explained, running a hand through his hair.</p><p>“I’m all ears,”</p><p>Minho stepped closer, shrinking the gap between the two. He looked a little nervous, although his laboured breaths could just have easily been caused by the exertion of dancing. Maybe Chan was projecting, he sure as hell felt nervous - good nerves he swore. After his talk with Hyunjin, he was beginning to suspect what Minho may be asking him about.</p><p>“I was wondering,” Minho began, stopping a few feet from Chan and reaching out to hold Chan’s hand. He looked shy, unable to meet Chan’s eyes and a small smile breaking out on his face. “‘Was wondering if you wanted to get dinner this weekend?”</p><p>He looked hesitant the moment he finished, ear tips flushing red. Chan’s heart leapt and he felt his head become lighter as well as a weight lifting off his chest. Minho was ready for whatever this was going to be.</p><p>“I’d love to,” Chan answered, intertwining their fingers.</p><p>“You would?” Minho beamed, finally meeting Chan’s eyes.</p><p>He was gorgeous. An adorable toothy smile on his face with large eyes peering up at him. The overhead lights sparkled in his pupils, appearing like a sky full of stars. He was more than gorgeous. He was… Chan couldn’t begin to describe it. He was Lee Minho.</p><p>“I don’t think I can express how much I want to,” Chan grinned, both meeting eyes and laughing quietly.</p><p>“I’d really like to kiss you,”</p><p>“Please,” Chan breathed softly.</p><p>Minho slid his hand to the nape of Chan’s neck and pressed their lips together. Chan immediately went to Minho’s waist, pulling him tighter to his body. The kiss was quick and not as intense as Chan was desperate for, but he had to get back to Chaesun. Still, it was pretty fucking perfect, soft lips slotting together. They pulled away, Minho laughing again.</p><p>“What?” Chan questioned, flushing slightly and hoping he hadn’t screwed up the kiss. “Did I do something weird?”</p><p>“No, that was… perfect,” Minho reassured, tracing small circles on Chan’s hands, “I’m just so happy right now.”</p><p>He looked like he really meant it. Minho’s eyes flooded with fondness as he spoke. That fondness, it was the same as when Minho danced. It was that same feeling. That honesty, flowing through his body. That same feeling Chan was completely taken with.</p><p>Chan knew for sure.</p><p>He was in love with Minho.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you so much for reading!! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. SNARE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Chaesun can finally taste good cooking again,” Felix joked, a teasing grin on his face.</p><p>“That’s it, I’m calling a sitter,”</p><p>“No! I take it back! I take it back!”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the way i promised this would come out sooner than recent chapters but then took like a full week - sorry!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, are we doing seductive or slutty?” Felix asked, rummaging through his make-up bag.</p><p>“Um… neither?” Chan answered, rolling his eyes as Felix pouted. He was back in Felix’s bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror and questioning why he’d asked for Felix to do his make-up for his date with Minho.</p><p>“You know… this still doesn’t get you out of doing a video with me,” Felix reminded, beginning to prep Chan’s face.</p><p>“Unfortunately, yes I do. I just… want to look good for him,”</p><p>“You’re so cute, hyung,”</p><p>They eventually decided on a style - sophisticated, with a hint of slutty at Felix’s insistence, and the blonde boy began to apply the make-up. Chan, despite still having some protestations, was beginning to get into the whole wearing make-up thing. Chan was more against the whole being in front of a camera thing instead of the actual application of make-up. He wondered why so many guys found it emasculating when he’d never felt more attractive wearing it. He reserved it for special occasions though, unlike Felix who always opted for some daily despite never actually needing make-up to look beautiful.</p><p>“So, you nervous?” Felix asked, sticking his tongue out slightly as he applied some eyeliner to Chan. The make-up was intended to be subtle, bringing out Chan’s features instead of drawing attention to the make-up. It was more in line with the everyday make-up Felix wore with a few extra flourishes added.</p><p>“I mean a little,” Chan answered honestly, “I thought I’d be more nervous. I’m more nervous for it to go well instead of him not liking me which is what I was always worried about before.”</p><p>He hadn’t really thought about his nerves. He’d been more overcome with excitement that he <em>actually </em>was going on a date with Minho.</p><p>“Everyone likes you,” Felix commented, placing the eyeliner pencil back into the bag, “And I’m sure Minho <em>really</em> likes you. He asked you on the date for God’s sake. So, there’s not much chance it’s gonna go bad if we’re being realistic. Just be your usual charming self… oh and don’t eat any messy food.”</p><p>“I’ve been on a first date before, Lix,” Chan commented dryly, “I’ll avoid sauce-heavy meals and eat politely.”</p><p>“You’re officially ‘first date-proof’,” Felix smiled, ruffling Chan’s hair and finishing up with the main part of the make-up, “And also incredibly sexy right now.”</p><p>Chan looked over to himself in the mirror and broke out into a smile. Felix had outdone himself, perfectly complementing Chan’s features with subtle additions.</p><p>“Now, I know you said to keep it low-key,” Felix began, pulling out a small bag, “But are you sure you don’t want any gems?”</p><p>Felix shook the bag lightly, a hopeful smile on his face, “I promise it’ll look great.”</p><p>And so, Chan let Felix add a scattering of sparkling silver gems around his eyes, a giddy smile on his face as he worked. He finished up, shuffling away from Chan’s face and admiring his work. “Beautiful.”</p><p>“Me or your make-up?”</p><p>“Both… Now, what are you gonna wear?”</p><p>Chan wasn’t sure. He probably should’ve thought more about it but was drawing a blank. Felix sighed and made an over-exaggerated face. “Jesus, Channie, this is painful. No thought at all?”</p><p>“I was gonna go have a look after this,”</p><p>“I can’t tell you how glad I am that you didn’t reply, ‘I was just gonna wear this’.”</p><p>“Well, now that you say that…”</p><p>“Out! Leave!”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Do you only own black and white clothes?” Felix gawked, filtering through Chan’s wardrobe in horror, “I mean… black does suit you wonderfully, hyung, but no colour at all?”</p><p>“Quit exaggerating,” Chan called from his bed, staring at the bag Felix had brought with him from his apartment.</p><p>“I’ve literally found six items of clothing that have colour. How have I never noticed how monochrome your wardrobe is?”</p><p>“I guess I just pull it off?”</p><p>Felix turned back and glared at Chan, pulling out a few coloured sweaters and throwing them on the bed. He grabbed a pair of black chinos and threw them towards Chan. “Okay, we’ll try with the colourful stuff but if it doesn’t work, we can try all black.”</p><p>“What’s in the bag?” Chan asked, motioning to the bag that was perched on the edge of the bed.</p><p>“Just an idea… but please, be open-minded,”</p><p>“That doesn’t sound good,”</p><p>Felix grunted, walking over to the bag and pulling out a pink bundle. “Promise you’ll consider it?”</p><p>Chan nodded, enjoying the teasing. Felix laid the piece out and Chan was… moderately surprised. It was a blush pink satin blouse with Felix proposing he wear it with the black trousers.</p><p>“So, what do you think?”</p><p>“I don’t hate it,”</p><p>“You want to try it on?”</p><p>“Can’t hurt,”</p><p>And so, Chan slipped off his black tank top and pulled on the satin blouse, letting the fabric slip onto his skin. He demanded Felix closed his eyes whilst he tried it on until he was ready. The shirt was unbelievably soft and billowed around him. He tucked it loosely into the trousers and let it hang off his body gently. “Okay, open.”</p><p>Felix removed his hands from his face and placed them in his lap, his jaw widening. “You look so good, oh my god.”</p><p>“You think?” Chan blushed slightly, looking down at his body. He turned to face his mirror and was surprised at how much he liked it. He ran the fabric through his fingers, feeling it slip across his fingertips. “It’s not too much?”</p><p>“No, it’s perfect,” Felix answered, pulling out his phone and taking a photo, “Minho’ll love it.”</p><p>“What was the photo for?”</p><p>Felix raised his finger, motioning for Chan to wait as his phone chimed. “Jisung likes it too.”</p><p>“Oh, that explains things,”</p><p>“He says, and I quote ‘If Minho doesn’t want to sleep with you looking like that, he’s an idiot’,”</p><p>“Of course, he did,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Minho ran his fingers through his hair, trying to get the styling perfect. He’d been in front of the mirror for about ten minutes now, carding fingers through his brown locks until he was sure it was perfect. It never was.</p><p>“You look good,” Hyunjin spoke, breaking Minho’s focus and causing the boy to look over to his door where Hyunjin was leaning against the frame.</p><p>“Not perfect though,” Minho countered, scowling as his fringe failed to lay just the way he wanted.</p><p>“You’re really nervous about this, huh?”</p><p>“Incredibly,”</p><p>Hyunjin let out an ‘aww’, slightly patronising in tone but Minho didn’t mind, and entered the room, bringing his hands up to Minho’s hair and adjusting a few strands. “Now, it’s perfect.”</p><p>Minho looked back to himself in the mirror, it would have to do. Chan had seen him in casual clothes and liked him anyway, so he would have to look pretty terrible to turn him away. He’d opted for something vaguely formal but didn’t want to look too dressed up for the date.</p><p>Hyunjin had helped him pick some things out, settling on some pale high-waisted jeans with a white dress shirt and a cropped mint green V-neck on the top.</p><p>“So, when’s he coming?”</p><p>“Half-past. He’s taking me to this barbecue place downtown,”</p><p>“Fuck, I really want barbecue now,” Hyunjin laughed, sitting on the edge of Minho’s bed and watching him perfect the positioning of his clothes, “You really look great, Minho. Stop worrying so much.”</p><p>“Wow, I’m cured,” Minho responded dryly.</p><p>“Okay, I know that’s not helpful but just, don’t worry about it. Chan likes you. He’s taking you out to dinner. You’re sexy and funny and charming and wonderful… and kinda intimidating, but that makes you all the more sexy. And fuck, that sweater is my favourite item of clothing that you own. I will be stealing it from you sometime,”</p><p>“That’s fair,”</p><p>They both began to laugh as Minho peered at his phone. 19:29. As the numbers shifted to 19:30, he felt his stomach twist into a knot because this was about to happen, and he was so incredibly rusty. He hadn’t been on a first date since he was 20 and he’d met Seungmin and instantly fallen in love.</p><p>He was soon snapped out of his memories by the sound of three sharp knocks at the door. Hyunjin turned to Minho with an excited smile, “Your man is here.”</p><p>“Please, don’t call him that,” Minho chuckled, grabbing a warm coat that was slung over his chair and hurrying out of his bedroom.</p><p>“Back by eleven or you’re grounded!” Hyunjin called out after him, poking his head out from Minho’s bedroom as the brown-haired boy reached the front door and peered through the peephole. Chan was standing in front of the door, waiting patiently. He looked a little nervous too, which strangely put Minho’s nerves slightly more at ease. Unlocking the door, he swung it open with a smile.</p><p>“Hey,” he chirped as Chan was slightly startled by the sudden opening of the door. Minho scanned him up and down and it seemed like he hadn’t gotten the memo about the dress code. He felt severely underdressed compared to his date. Chan looked incredible with fitted pants that hugged his thighs nicely as well as a loose rose-coloured shirt tucked into them. He finished it off with a black leather jacket and in his hands was a small bouquet. And oh my god, he was wearing make-up again. He looked heavenly and Minho particularly loved the small addition of the gemstones around his eyes. They were a signature staple of LixStick’s channel, so Minho assumed he’d asked Felix to do his make-up for him.</p><p>“Hi, Minho,” Chan smiled, holding the flowers out, “I… um, I got these for you. I know it’s a little cheesy but… I don’t know, I just felt like I ought to get you something.”</p><p>“No, it’s great,” Minho reassured, taking the bouquet and sniffing them, “They’re beautiful. Let me just put them in water and then we’ll go?”</p><p>“Sounds good,”</p><p>Minho quickly rushed inside, placing the flowers in a nearby vase and filling it up with water before positioning them on the kitchen counter. Chan had good taste, with the flowers matching the colour scheme of the apartment. He returned to the hall where Chan was waiting, a bright smile still plastered on his face. Minho closed the door behind him and instinctively linked fingers with Chan.</p><p>“Shall we go?” He asked with Chan nodding in response.</p><p>“I figured we could walk to the barbecue place. It’s not too far and it’s not as cold out as usual,”</p><p>“That sounds really nice. I’d love to,” The two boys made their way down the hallway towards the elevator, still holding hands. Minho loved the feeling of Chan’s hands and how they tightly hugged Minho’s own whenever they locked fingers.</p><p>“You look really nice by the way,” Chan pointed out as they reached the elevator and Minho pressed the down button.</p><p>“Really?” Minho asked, “I… I wasn’t sure how formal we were supposed to be, and I didn’t realise that… I just… You look so amazing, and I feel way too casual for this date now.”</p><p>“It’s really cute. I like it a lot,” Chan commented, making Minho’s cheeks pinken.</p><p>“Sorry, I just haven’t been on a first date in a while. I’m a little rusty,”</p><p>“Me too,” Chan smiled, the doors to the elevator pinging open and the two boys entering, “Guess we’ll both be a little rusty together.”</p><p>“Perfect,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry but we don’t have a reservation under that name,” the waitress said, her tone sympathetic.</p><p>The walk had been pleasant, a slight chill in the air nipping at their faces as they’d strolled. Minho hadn’t let go of Chan’s hand and found that he didn’t really care about what other people thought. It was generally pleasant with them not receiving any comments, but people stared. They always stared.</p><p>Minho didn’t see what was so interesting or shocking about two men holding hands. He’d never understand bigots or the ‘well-meaning’ people who were curious about his relationships. He’d dealt with both and had never been good at it.</p><p>But now, walking and chatting with Chan as they headed to the restaurant, their hands linked, there was nothing in his mind except the two of them. However, not even having sat down at their table, they’d already hit a bump in the road.</p><p>“I called earlier today,” Chan protested, looking frustrated, “Reservation for two under Christopher Bang.”</p><p>“I understand, sir,” the waitress answered, “But I don’t see the name Christopher Bang anywhere on the system. You can wait until a table is available.”</p><p>“And how long will that be?”</p><p>“We’re pretty busy tonight… maybe an hour?”</p><p>Minho crept up behind Chan, holding his arm gently, “It’s fine. We can eat somewhere else.”</p><p>“I really wanted to take you somewhere nice though,” Chan explained, turning to Minho, “I also don’t want to have to make you wait that long.”</p><p>“It’s okay, Chan. I’m on this date for you, not the restaurant.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>Minho nodded, trying to seem as genuine as he felt. He could care less where they ate, as long as he was eating with Chan. Ever since their kiss in the dance studio, his feelings had only grown stronger. He wasn’t sure if he was in love with Chan yet, but he was getting closer the more he spoke to and hung out with Chan. However, he wouldn’t admit that so soon into their relationship.</p><p>“Let’s just get some street food. I’ve been craving kimbap,”</p><p>That was how the two boys found themselves in a bustling street, edges lined with food stalls and the scent of various dishes intertwining and dispersing through the air. The restaurant had been sophisticated and elegant but Minho much preferred the electric energy of the street. He watched as Chan admired the vibrant decorations and hanging lights or neon signs that illuminated the street. The city felt most alive when Minho was in places like this.</p><p>“Now I feel overdressed,” Chan laughed sheepishly, looking around at everyone who was dressed in jeans and t-shirts.</p><p>“Shut up, you look great,” Minho giggled, suddenly gasping as he spotted a kimbap stall. Grabbing Chan’s hand, he hurried over to try and get some as soon as possible. Chan, being the gentleman that he was, insisted to pay which Minho protested with them deciding that if Chan bought their kimbap, Minho would pay for drinks and hotteok afterwards.</p><p>“I never really get street food that much,” Chan commented, biting into his kimbap and savouring the taste. They sat at some plastic white chairs near the stall, remaining close to one another. Minho took a sip of his beer, placing it by his feet, “Really? I love street food. I try and get it as often as possible. There’s this really cute market near Jinnie and I’s apartment and we go there some nights.”</p><p>“That’s cute… Things like that make me sometimes I wish I had a roommate,”</p><p>“You have Chaesun though,”</p><p>“It’s a little different though. I think I’d be a pretty shitty parent if we got drunk and got street food together,”</p><p>“A shitty parent, maybe. But a cool one? Definitely,”</p><p>“Please, never look after a child,”</p><p>Minho snorted, covering his mouth slightly as he recovered. The snort made Chan burst into laughter, and the two found themselves laughing at nothing really, except for each other’s company. It was familiar and comforting and Minho was perplexed as to why he’d even been nervous at first. It was Chan. He knew Chan. He got on well with Chan.</p><p>They finished eating and Minho went to buy hotteok for the two of them, coming back with a few in a small card box. They ate them quietly together, relishing in the taste with Chan declaring it was ‘the nicest hotteok he’d had for a while’. At one point, some of the cinnamon sugar had become stuck to Minho’s lip and Chan had gently reached a thumb over, brushing the sugar away and tasting his thumb. Minho’s stomach had erupted into butterflies and he’d blushed heavily again. </p><p>The two of them finished up eating and spoke for what felt like hours. They spoke about nothing in particular, learning some personal information but mostly just enjoying each other’s company. Minho learnt that Chan’s favourite colour was black (although Minho argued that was shade), his full name was Christopher, but he went by and preferred Chan, he had two younger siblings who lived with his parents and he had extended family who lived in Australia. Minho hadn’t heard Chan speak in English and once he did, he could strongly hear his Australian accent coming through, with him explaining that he grew up in Australia before he moved to Korea when he was in middle school. Chan had asked similar questions with Minho answering honestly, but still remaining vague about certain things. He didn’t want to explain all his problems just yet.</p><p>Glancing at the time, Chan suggested that it was probably time for them to head back. Minho, although not wanting the date to end, conceded as it was starting to get late. Chan walked him back to his apartment building, keeping him close to his warmth.</p><p>“I guess this is goodnight,” Chan said softly, stopping in front of the glass doors to Minho’s apartment building. He looked so handsome, a fond smile on his face and the tips of his ears and nose red.</p><p>“I had a really nice time,” Minho confessed, stepping a little closer to Chan and reaching out to grab his hands, “Thank you, Chan.”</p><p>“Me too. We’ll do this again, won’t we?”</p><p>“Definitely,”</p><p>Chan grinned, bringing his hand up to cup Minho’s face and lean in for a kiss. Minho reciprocated almost instantly, slotting his lips with Chan’s and giving into the kiss. He didn’t think he’d ever get bored of kissing Chan. Minho clutched onto the lapels of Chan’s jacket, feeling the older boy’s hands snake around his body.</p><p>“Do you want to come up for a little while?” Minho asked, looking up at Chan with his most enticing look. He desperately wanted more of Chan right now, whatever he could get.</p><p>“I’d love to, Min… but I told my sitter I’d be back by eleven-thirty,”</p><p>The reminder of Chaesun brought Minho back to reality and raised a question that had been playing on his mind for days.</p><p>“Are you gonna tell Chaesun? About us?”</p><p>Chan thought for a moment, still holding onto Minho and keeping him close. Their warm breaths ghosted over each other’s lips. “I hadn’t thought about it really.”</p><p>“What if she doesn’t like… this?” Minho asked, motioning between the two of them. Chan looked sympathetic, pressing a kiss to the tip of Minho’s nose.</p><p>“Don’t worry about that,” Chan reassured, stroking Minho’s hair back and admiring him, “So beautiful.”</p><p>He pressed a final kiss to Minho’s lips, and they said their goodbyes. Minho entered his apartment building, the thoughts about Chaesun still twisting around his brain. Chan had told him not to worry, he just had to do his best not to. He entered the elevator, watching Chan wave with a bright smile as the doors closed shut.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“She’ll be home any minute, okay?” Chan reminded Minho, leaning against his kitchen counter as Minho sat on a breakfast stool, drinking his water nervously. After their conversation at the end of their date, Chan had decided to rip the band-aid off and invited Minho over to tell Chaesun. Chan had reassured him that Chaesun could be mature and understanding so he had nothing to worry about.</p><p>As Minho was about to speak, he heard the front door open. Chan told him to wait in the kitchen with him walking into the hall.</p><p>“Hey Chae,” Chan beamed, with Minho hearing her take her backpack off. He could feel his nerves bubbling in his stomach. “Listen, I have something to tell you, okay?”</p><p>“Okay,” Chaesun responded curiously as Minho watched them enter the kitchen. Chaesun turned the corner and froze, looking Minho right in the eyes.</p><p>“Daddy, what’s Minho doing here?”</p><p>“He’s… He’s related to what I want to talk to you about,”</p><p>Minho raised his hand to wave gently as Chaesun met his gaze, looking hesitant. “Am I in trouble?”</p><p>“No, no, Chae. Not in trouble,” Chan laughed nervously, leading Chaesun over to a seat and letting her sit down.</p><p>“Your dad and I have some news we want to tell you,”</p><p>Chan nodded in support, holding Chaesun’s hand softly. He looked at Minho to go on, his stomach knotting as he formed the words in his mind.</p><p>“We… We’re, um... Your dad and I.... We’re seeing each other… um, we’re dating,”</p><p>The words finally clawed their way from Minho’s throat and settled in the room. Chan turned to Chaesun to try and gauge her reaction, but her eyes were fixed firmly on Minho. She was glaring.</p><p>“Yo-You’re what?”</p><p>“We’re dating, Chae. Is that okay?” Chan clarified, looking hopeful.</p><p>“No,” Chaesun responded, making Minho gawk slightly, “No. I don’t want you to. I don’t want you to date him, daddy. Please, don’t date him. He’s not good enough for you.”</p><p>“What are you saying, Chae?” Chan stuttered out as Chaesun grew redder and continued repeating her words. Minho wanted to throw up. He thought he was. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He thought he’d won Chaesun over in class. Why was she being like this?</p><p>“Get out!” Chaesun screamed, lashing forwards towards Minho as Chan tried to hold her back. Minho could feel tears bubbling up in his eyes. He stumbled off the stool, looking to Chan for assistance.</p><p>“I think you should go,” Chan suggested, looking upset too,” Just until she calms down, okay?”</p><p>“What… What does this mean for us?”</p><p>Chaesun wrestled out of Chan’s grasp and stormed away to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her with a thud.</p><p>“I-I don’t know. I just… I need to get her calm,”</p><p>Minho was crying now. Everything was crashing down before it had even started before, he’d been able to tell Chan how he felt.</p><p>“Is this the end then?” His voice wobbled and broke as he spoke to Chan. Tears began to spill from his eyes and cascade down his cheeks. Chan didn’t answer right away, giving a look to Minho that told him everything. He looked hurt too.</p><p>“Chaesun always comes first,”</p><p>And Minho’s heart shattered into pieces. He left the apartment crying, unable to see clearly with how many tears he was shedding at that moment. He could hear Chaesun screaming in protestation and Chan’s small cries and now he really thought he was going to throw up. And he was. Oh my god, he was.</p><p> </p><p>And then he woke up.</p><p>Minho jolted awake, swinging up in bed. His heart was pounding in his ears and he could feel tears beginning to start. It had only been a dream, but it had still felt so unflinchingly real. He’d sworn he’d felt his heartbreak when Chan had broken up with him.</p><p>And so, he cried into his pillow for a while, choking out sobs and muffling them to not wake up Hyunjin. They were painful, tearing their way out of his throat and soaking his pillow. He sobbed until his body was shaking and he wasn’t sure what else to do except cry. His hands and face felt charged with electricity, crackling under his skin. A panic attack, something Minho was very used to. He and panic attacks had formed a pretty tight bond in high school. He knew he had to get his breathing under control, but he could barely move a muscle. His body felt like it was sinking in glue. Thick heavy glue that coated his body and was drowning him. </p><p>He’d text Chan, hope he was up even though he wouldn’t be, but even thinking about Chan made him want to cry even more. He didn’t want to think of the possibility that they might not be together because Minho felt so desperate to be with Chan after their date. Eventually getting his breathing more regulated, he briefly glanced over to the time. 03:26. He wasn’t going to get much more sleep tonight, but he might as well try and calm himself down.</p><p>Stumbling into the kitchen. Minho fumbled against the wall, trying to locate the light switch. This proved difficult as Minho’s vision was obscured by not only the darkness but by how much his eyes were stinging. He opted to grab his phone, using the torch to guide his way to the kitchen. As he walked to the fridge, he suddenly felt his feet collide with a fluffy body and he stumbled forwards, grabbing the counter for support. The fluffy body, either Soonie, Doongie or Dori, let out a loud hiss and jumped onto the counter, bashing into the vase and knocking it down. Fortunately, it didn’t break but made a pretty damn loud noise with it smacking against the marble countertop and spilling water everywhere.</p><p>He heard movement from Hyunjin’s room as he recovered from the shock as the blonde boy’s door opened and light suddenly filled the main living area. The sudden invasion of blinding fluorescent yellow made Minho recoil slightly as his eyes adjusted.</p><p>“Minho?” Hyunjin asked groggily, wiping the sleep from his eyes.</p><p>“I’m really sorry, Jinnie,” Minho responded, looking over to the counter where Doongie was watching the flowing water hesitantly, “I accidentally walked into Doongie and he freaked out.”</p><p>Hyunjin chuckled slightly, entering the room and tying up his messy bed hair into a neat ponytail. The smile remained on his face as he grew closer, but it faltered as he saw Minho’s face. He must have looked like hell, with red eyes and puffy cheeks.</p><p>“Is everything okay, hyung?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Minho responded, not wanting to plague Hyunjin with his problems. The taller boy walked around the counter and swiftly pulled Minho into a hug. There had to be something about Hyunjin’s arms. He always gave such soothing hugs.</p><p>“Are you sure? You can talk to me,”</p><p>And Minho felt himself shattering again. “I-I don’t really want to talk about it r-right now.”</p><p>“That’s okay,” Hyunjin whispered as Minho began to cry again, soaking Hyunjin’s shoulder, “Shhh, it’s okay. I’m here, don’t worry.”</p><p>Minho clutched onto Hyunjin as his body shook again. He thought his head was going to burst with how much pressure he felt building. He just wanted to cry and never stop. Hyunjin gently stroked the back of Minho’s hair, continuing to hush him and trying to calm him down.</p><p>“Hey, hey, Minho,” Hyunjin said softly, trying to get the older’s attention on him, “Breath with me. Five in, seven out. Okay?”</p><p>Minho nodded, still digging his fingers into Hyunjin. The blonde-haired boy guided him with his breaths, trying to help Minho regulate his breathing. </p><p>One. Breathing in. </p><p>Two. Locking eyes with Hyunjin. </p><p>Three. Tears snaking down his cheeks. </p><p>Four. Hyunjin stroking his neck gently. </p><p>Five. And then he was exhaling shakily.</p><p>“I’m here,” the younger boy kept repeating, “Stay here with me. Focus on me.”</p><p>They repeated the cycle of breaths as Minho felt his heart rate slow and his breaths become more regular. Hyunjin pressed a kiss to his forehead, grabbing a few tissues and wiping down Minho’s cheeks. After, he grabbed a glass of water and made sure Minho drank it all, watching quietly.</p><p>“Thank you, Hyunjin,” Minho spoke softly, finishing the water and placing it on the counter.</p><p>“Do you want to sleep with me tonight, hyung?” he offered, rinsing the glass quickly and placing it on the side. Minho nodded, sniffling slightly, “I’d like that.”</p><p>“Come on,” Hyunjin smiled, reaching out a hand, “You can be little spoon.”</p><p>Minho giggled slightly, following Hyunjin into his bedroom and crawling under his thick piles of blankets. Soon after, he felt Hyunjin’s arms wrap around his waist and pull him close to his body.</p><p>“Try and get some sleep, hyung,” Hyunjin whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of Minho’s neck. Hyunjin’s body warmth enveloped Minho and he felt himself slowly slipping back into sleep.</p><p>“I love you, Jinnie,”</p><p>“I love you too, Minho. You’ll get through this… whatever this is. I believe in you… and I’ll be here every step of the way. You know that, right?”</p><p>He was so lucky to have Hyunjin with him.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan hadn’t stopped thinking about Minho’s question.</p><p>
  <em>Are you gonna tell Chaesun? About us?</em>
</p><p>He supposed he had to eventually. It was selfish thinking he didn’t. It was vital that Chaesun liked who Chan was dating because they came as a pair. When you dated Chan, you were acting as a secondary parent for Chaesun, and she had to feel comfortable. That was more important than anything.</p><p>And yet, Chan desperately didn’t want to tell her just yet. He didn’t want to potentially lose Minho. He kept reminding himself that Chaesun came first, she always did. Chan loved her too much and too fiercely to make her uncomfortable. Not even someone like Minho could cause him to forget that.</p><p>He’d come into work and whilst serving orders, Chan had explained the situation to Jisung. He’d listened intently and Chan couldn’t help noticing how much being with Hyunjin had matured him. He still had that fun youthful charm (God, Chan felt old thinking that) and excitable energy, but he knew when to control it.</p><p>“Chaesun comes first. That’s obvious but God, Ji, I just like him so much,” Chan complained, preparing an iced americano for a waiting customer.</p><p>“It’s a tough situation, hyung,” Jisung sympathised, counting his tips and slotting them into his pocket, “Do you know how Chae feels about Minho?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. She’s still going to classes, so I guess that’s a good sign? They got off to such a bad start though. She’s told me how much she enjoys it, but that might just be because of her friends in the class,”</p><p>“You can sit and think about how she feels all day until you die, hyung, but the easiest way you’re gonna find out is by telling her the truth,” Jisung explained, taking the role of the mature one in their relationship for maybe the first time ever. Chan knew he was acting selfishly, but he deserved to have someone in his life, right? He went to protest Jisung’s situation with another complaint but Jisung continued talking. “I know it’s scary and it risks losing Minho and everything you’ve built but this is your daughter we’re talking about. You’ve said it yourself; she comes first. However, I think you're overthinking this way too much. Chae might not get the complexities of relationships yet but I’m sure she wants you to be happy and I’m sure she’ll understand that Minho is a part of what makes you happy.”</p><p>“I just don’t want to put her in a situation where she feels uncomfortable just to make me happy. She doesn’t deserve that,”</p><p>“Talk to her. Explain things clearly and simply. It’s the only way you’re gonna get this sorted out,”</p><p>“What the fuck has happened to you?”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“You’re like a different person,” Chan laughed as Jisung smiled to himself.</p><p>“Love matures a person,”</p><p>“Love?” Chan pointed out, trying to tease Jisung with his brief slip-up.</p><p>“Oh! Did I forget to mention? He told me he loved me,” Jisung grinned, feeling proud of himself as he boasted to Chan, “But if you want me going back to being immature, I’d be happy to do so! We can talk about what we did <em>after</em> he told me he loved me.”</p><p>“You told him you loved him back?” Chan knew that most certainly wasn’t just what Jisung had done judging by the devilish grin plastered on his puffy cheeks.</p><p>“So innocent, hyung,” Jisung smiled, ruffling Chan’s hair.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry to be asking you guys again. I know it must be a pain,” Chan said, looking over to Felix and Changbin who were glued to one another, sitting on the sofa.</p><p>“It’s really no trouble, Channie-hyung,” Felix reassured, splaying his hand on Changbin’s chest and shrugging off Chan’s concern with his other hand in a swiping motion.</p><p>“Are you sure? I feel like I’m taking advantage of your kind natures or something,” Chan laughed, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully.</p><p>“You’re too kind,” Felix commented dryly, “We’re happy to have Chaesun tonight.”</p><p>“We’re like her second parents or something,” Changbin added, running his hand over Felix’s back gently, “We really like it.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Felix agreed, looking over to Changbin. They had a smile plastered on their faces, making eye contact with some unspoken message being transferred between the two. Chan didn’t want to comment, waiting for the two of them to snap out of their daze.</p><p>“Anyway, enjoy your night-in with Minho. You deserve it,” Changbin said, pressing a kiss to Felix’s cheek.</p><p>“Chaesun can finally taste good cooking again,” Felix joked, a teasing grin on his face.</p><p>“That’s it, I’m calling a sitter,”</p><p>“No! I take it back! I take it back!”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Minho slipped the mint green V-neck over his body, relishing in the feel of the soft cotton on his bare skin. He’d been wearing it constantly since Chan had complimented him on it. In the living room, he could hear Chan shuffling around and the pop of a cork. Grabbing his glasses, he slipped them onto his face and entered the living room.</p><p>“Perfect,” Minho said quietly, having quickly slipped away to get into something more comfortable for their movie night. Chan had arrived in a large oversized black hoodie and sweatpants, casual but still incredibly sexy. The older boy looked up, his mouth gaping slightly at the sight of Minho causing him to blush. He hadn’t expected that reaction out of Chan although he knew it was possible with how the cut of the V-neck showed off his toned lower stomach.</p><p>“Wow,” Chan said quietly, his eyes following Minho.</p><p>“Quit staring,” Minho teased, still blushing heavily as he crept into Chan’s arms. The older wrapped his hands around Minho’s bare waist and pulled him into a quick kiss.</p><p>“I can’t help it,” Chan argued, sliding his hands over Minho’s skin and making the younger shiver slightly. Chan hadn’t touched him like this, skin to skin, since the night they’d met.</p><p>“Perv,” Minho giggled softly, pressing small kisses to Chan’s neck and pulling him onto the couch with him. They sank into the soft cushions, still pressed together as Chan’s hands roamed up his sweater and ran over his back. Minho deepened the kiss, desperate to taste more of Chan. His fingers twisted into Chan’s hair as the older boy pressed his weight into Minho, grinding down onto him. The movie could wait, especially with how much Minho was yearning for more physical contact. Chan’s fingers felt like electricity, sparking against his skin and causing his hairs to prick up. The black-haired boy pulled away, breathing raggedly and pressing his head against Minho’s forehead. The younger whined wanting more of Chan, wanting anything he could get.</p><p>“Before we go any further,” Chan began, with Minho hearing a small moan as he began to leave a hickey on his neck, “I feel like we should talk.”</p><p>The words snapped Minho out of his haze, causing him to detach his lips and look up to a slightly flustered Chan. “Good talk or bad talk?”</p><p>“Neutral? I guess,”</p><p>Minho’s stomach twisted. What did neutral mean?</p><p>“Okay,” Minho responded hesitantly, sitting up slightly and scanning Chan’s features for any hints. He was sure it would be nothing bad, right? Chan had been way too eager just thirty seconds ago to be planning a breakup. And yet, the thought wouldn’t leave Minho’s mind. Was this way of letting him down gently?</p><p>“I’m going to tell Chaesun… about us,”</p><p>Nerves quickly flowed into Minho as Chan finished speaking because this was real now. There was a chance that he could lose Chan. It wasn’t just his anxiety anymore, there was a real, imminent danger.</p><p>“This’ll end… if she’s not okay with it, right?”</p><p>Chan looked sad, stroking the side of Minho’s face gently and tracing his jawline. He didn’t have to answer. Minho already knew the answer.</p><p>“Yes, it will… but let’s not think about that right now, okay?” Chan answered, trying to give a smile to lighten the mood, “I promise you that I’ll do everything I can to make sure that isn’t the case because Minho, I desperately want this to work out. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me for an incredibly long time.”</p><p>“Kiss me,” Minho whispered, curling his hands around the nape of Chan’s neck and pulling him closer. Their breaths mixed as Chan seemed hesitant at first, before finally succumbing and locking lips with Minho. He just wanted to kiss Chan and forget. Forget about what might happen and live in the present. This could be one of the last times he could do this and that almost destroyed him. He faltered slightly, his thoughts becoming plagued and pulling away slightly. Chan slowed as Minho tried to regain their rhythm.</p><p>This could be the last time he’d kiss Chan. The last time he’d be this close to his body. And it was so selfish to think that, to think he could be of more importance than Chan’s own daughter. Minho hated thinking that, but he deserved love, right?</p><p>He wasn’t so sure anymore. Every single event in his life had seemed to tell him otherwise. Sure, he had friends that loved him, and he was on good terms with Seungmin, but real love that made him uncontrollably smile, made his body lighter, made his heart race, made him float. He just wanted to love someone. He wanted to have someone to think about the moment he woke up, someone to cuddle with, someone to take long walks with.</p><p>Someone to make him feel loved. Really, truly, deeply loved.</p><p>And just as he was about to have that it was going to be ripped away from him and he could do nothing about it.</p><p>Because he was in love with Chan.</p><p>He’d suspected it for a while but he was in love with Chan, and he wanted Chan to love him back. And yet, love didn’t seem to be strong enough to keep them together.</p><p>“Are you alright, Minho?” Chan whispered, pulling his lips from Minho’s and tracing the younger boy’s eyes as he’d begun to go still, lost in his thoughts.</p><p>Minho had cried an uncountable amount of times this week… and now, he had to add one more to that as tears began to escape his eyes.</p><p>“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry,” Minho whispered, sitting up and wiping away his tears frantically with his sleeves. “I’m sorry. I-I just…”</p><p>Minho felt Chan grab his forearms and bring them away from his face. His whole body was trembling, and he felt like he was on the verge of another panic attack. Chan brought him into his body, holding him tightly with his arms and hushing him.</p><p>“Don’t apologise. You don’t have to apologise,” Chan hushed, pressing kisses to Minho’s face. They were short, pressing to Minho’s jaw, cheekbone and eventually his neck.</p><p>“It’s s-selfish though, that I’m crying over this,”</p><p>“I don’t think it’s selfish,” Chan answered, and Minho was sure he was lying. He must’ve been thinking how entitled he was, crying over being in second place to his own daughter. He was humiliated. He didn’t want Chan to feel like he <em>had </em>to do this just because Minho was acting like a child.</p><p>“You don’t have to lie,” Minho said sheepishly, tears still running down his cheeks. Chan brushed them away with his thumbs, kissing his stinging eyelids.</p><p>“I’m not… because I don’t want to lose this either. You know that. So, either we’re both being selfish… or we both just want to feel loved.”</p><p>Loved.</p><p>
  <em>We both just want to feel loved.</em>
</p><p>Did Chan love him? Did Chan know that Minho loved him?</p><p>He didn’t have time to dwell on it much more as Chan kissed Minho again and pulled him into a warming cuddle, their limbs tangling together, and even though it was early and Chan wasn’t supposed to be staying over, Minho felt himself drifting off to sleep.</p><p>He just wanted to fall asleep in Chan’s arms.</p><p>Even if this was the last time.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“It smells good in here,” Chaesun commented, sliding her slippers on and waddling into the kitchen. Chan watched her come in from the kitchen, the sizzle of bacon filling the room.</p><p>“I made you breakfast, angel,” Chan replied, motioning to the plate of fluffy pancakes next to him with a few strawberries littered next to it. “Just gotta finish your bacon.”</p><p>Chaesun grinned excitedly, sitting down at the kitchen counter and waiting hungrily. Chan could feel his nerves bubbling because, after this, there was no going back. This was the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. And he had no idea if the next chapter was going to be a tragedy or not.</p><p>Chan slipped the bacon onto the plate and slid it over to Chaesun who immediately began to dig in. Chan ruffled her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and sat down next to her.</p><p>“Listen, Chae,” Chan began, catching his daughter’s attention, “I think it’s best if we have a little talk.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you so much for reading!! &lt;3</p><p>also yes minho's date outfit is completely inspired by seungmin's absolutely gorgeous <a href="https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-95aeec1dcd6e2c2c647927fa7982810d">neverending story stage outfit</a> but with minho's fave colour (mint) instead of the blue (also seungmin looks so FUCKING pretty in that photo i'm in love with him i swear)<br/>and chan's is essentially his <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EMsfjU9U8AEDD66.jpg">levanter outfit</a> with a softer pink :))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. STRETCH</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Felix [12:16]<br/>threeway do it!!!</p><p> </p><p>You [12:16]<br/>EXCUSE ME???</p><p> </p><p>Jisung [12:16]<br/>FELIX<br/>HUH</p><p> </p><p>Felix [12:16]<br/>*date<br/>THREEWAY DATE<br/>I TYPED DATE<br/>FUCKING AUTOCORRECT</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i wanted to get this out a lot sooner but schoolwork :/</p><p>with that in mind, i'm sorry if this chapter isn't brilliant but it's a necessary chapter and i weirdly like it idk it's cute</p><p>as always, thank you so much for your wonderful comments and support! almost at 3k hits and 200 kudos wtf!!!!! you are all amazing and i'm so glad you're enjoying this fic i wrote from just a stupid lil idea i had in my head :)))))</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“Is Seungmin home?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He’s studying… got an exam tomorrow. What’s up?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m worried about Minho,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I thou-... Seungmin told me he was doing better,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Something happened,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That sounds ominous, hyung,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He didn’t want to tell me what it was… I just thought, if he were gonna tell someone it would be Seungmin,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What happened?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He had a panic attack the other night… Worst one of his I’ve seen,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That bad?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Mhm,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Fuck, poor Minho,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s why I thought he ought to speak to Seungmin or something,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Look, hyung, this might sound heartless… but Seungmin’s not Minho’s therapist as much as he loves him. He has his problems too and it’s not healthy for him to take on all of Minho’s… He still has nightmares about Minho’s accident,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“...I didn’t know. I’m sorry,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You had no idea. I only know ‘cause we share a bed… he’s quiet about it,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“God, poor Seungie,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I can talk to Minho… if you think that’s a good idea. Just because I don’t want Seungmin to have to deal with his problem, doesn’t mean I don’t want to help Minho,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know, Innie. You’re just worried about Seungmin, that’s perfectly understandable. I’d speak to him, but I have to be at Dad’s office all day,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t worry, Jinnie. We’ll get coffee and I’ll try and talk it over with him,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re amazing,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know, I know… Good luck today, by the way,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thank you,”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Jeongin watched Minho raise the green tea to his lips and sip at it quietly. He scanned over the brown-haired boy’s face, trying to analyse his expressions.</p><p>“You’re staring at me like you’re a prosecutor,”</p><p>“I want to be an attorney, hyung. You know that,”</p><p>“Then why you so serious?”</p><p>Lying to Minho was hard. Well, he wasn’t lying. Withholding the truth from Minho was hard. When he’d first met him, at Seungmin’s insistence he might add, he’d been told about his sharp, defensive exterior and felt incredibly nervy when Seungmin had pointed him out as they’d entered the restaurant. Minho was like one of those hard candies with a soft centre, you had to work for the sweetness and, seeing as he was his ex’s new boyfriend, Jeongin assumed he’d have to work overtime. However, Minho was surprisingly pleasant when they’d first met, if a little withholding and the tiniest bit awkward. This had all but faded into nothing over time and now, Jeongin would say they were good friends despite their unconventional way of meeting one another.</p><p>Although they were friends though, Jeongin still found Minho incredibly intimidating when he could be and as he could sense something was up, he was flashing his most intense gaze in order to wheedle out the truth from Jeongin’s lips.</p><p>“Hyunjin told me about the other night,”</p><p>Fuck. Jeongin had cracked in record time. Minho swallowed his tea, nodding calmly and placing his mug on the table. “He’s worried about me, isn’t he?”</p><p>“Should he be?”</p><p>“Everything’s fine,” He was already placing up his walls. Jeongin knew that Minho only really showed his feelings with people he truly deeply trusted. Hyunjin had worked tirelessly to get there and Jeongin was still trying.</p><p>But Minho built walls of thick, impenetrable steel sometimes and Jeongin was left having to scale them.</p><p>“All of us… we’re worried about you. We want to help you… and if we can’t do that, we want to be there by your side, holding your hand and walking with you through it. I know I’m not Seungmin or Hyunjin or Chan...”</p><p>Minho’s face faltered at the mention of his name but Jeongin continued, “...but I really honestly care about you. For someone who has to hang out with his ex’s boyfriend, you’re incredibly caring and just overall welcoming about it. That means so much to me, you know? Just the fact you’re okay with Seungie and I. Especially ‘cause I know how much Seungmin means to you.”</p><p>They met each other’s gaze and Jeongin offered a soft smile, extending a hand to hold Minho’s, “Sometimes Seungmin or Hyunjin isn’t gonna be there and I want to be able to help… because I know, without a doubt in my mind, you’d do the same for me.”</p><p>“You’re awfully trusting,” Minho chuckled but his smile was less teasing and surprisingly emotional, “But… thank you, Innie. It means a lot because I feel in the same position. I’m so thankful that you’re not uncomfortable that Seungmin and I are still really close. I always thought it was weird… and a little unfair on you.”</p><p>Truthfully, Jeongin had thought it was slightly strange at first when Seungmin had come back to their dorm excitedly and proclaimed he’d ran into Minho.</p><p>Minho. That name had always held so much weight. Minho was the name that Seungmin had wept about on countless nights, with Jeongin cuddling him and hushing him. Minho was the name of the guy Seungmin stayed hung up on for months until Jeongin and he finally kissed. And Minho had disappeared for a while, so his return had left Jeongin feeling apprehensive.</p><p>Fortunately, things had worked out incredibly well and now, although people on the outside may have seen it as a little unorthodox, Jeongin saw it as the furthest thing from weird. It was mature.</p><p>“I don’t think it’s weird, Minho,” Jeongin clarified, “I’m honestly incredibly happy Seungmin and you ran into each other because it’s been some pretty amazing few months knowing you… and I’m glad we’re friends. I really am.”</p><p>And with those final words, Jeongin had pulled his way up. He’d collapsed on the cold, hard ground, soaked in his blood, sweat and tears but he’d done it. He’d scaled the wall.</p><p>“It was about Chan,”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“The reason I freaked out… it was about Chan,”</p><p>Jeongin didn’t push anymore, letting Minho slowly reveal the entire story. Jeongin could see that Minho was still uncomfortable with being so forthcoming, so vulnerable. This led to him remaining quiet and patiently listening as Minho explained the whole situation involving Chan’s daughter, sparkles of tears appearing in his eyes when the sunlight hit him. He could feel his heart breaking slightly as Minho explained because he wished Minho could see what he saw, and he wished he could make things okay for him.</p><p>“Sometimes… Fuck… sorry… Sometimes I feel like… I just can’t be loved. Like it’s too difficult for someone to l-love me… because there’s just so much wrong,” Minho admitted, his voice growing low and sheepish. A small tear escaped his eye as he finished and Jeongin could tell he was holding back a flood. If they weren’t in such a public place, the younger boy would’ve hurried over to Minho and pulled him into a crushing hug. A stretched-out hand and a comforting squeeze had to suffice, as well as Jeongin’s words.</p><p>“It might be hard to see sometimes… but around you, there’s living proof that you’re good enough to be loved, hyung. I’m living proof. Seungmin is living proof. Hyunjin is living proof. And I’m sure there are countless others. They all love you fiercely and unconditionally and have never stopped loving you for a second,”</p><p>“...I feel like there’s no way to tell sometimes. Especially when I get like this because if I knew me, I wouldn’t want to love me right now,”</p><p>“No one’s perfect, Minho… but that’s what makes us worth loving. No one wants to fall for some immaculate fucking robot who always has great skin and no morning breath. They fall in love with the flaws… and they don’t see them as flaws. What you see isn’t what they see. This fear, which you hate… I see it as passion. I see it as you loving so hard and so fierce and so powerful… that it maybe scares you a little, scares you that your feelings can get like this, but it just means that people will see that passion and they’ll admire it and some may grow to love it,”</p><p>Minho was crying now, soft tears and not intense but tears all the same. Jeongin had reached out his hand again and was stroking his thumb along the top of Minho’s hands. Thankfully, the coffee shop was relatively empty, so they had a reasonable amount of privacy.</p><p>“I remember when I first was with Seungmin… in that way,” Jeongin began, feeling slightly embarrassed to be discussing this but seeing it as relatively helpful. Minho looked up, shocked at the sudden left turn he probably imagined Jeongin was taking. Still. Jeongin continued onwards, “I felt terrified because I have these stretch marks… on my back and my legs… from just growing up and getting taller. They’re completely natural and not even that noticeable, but I hated them… I still don’t like them, and I was terrified Seungmin would see them and freak out. I even considered putting concealer on them.”</p><p>Minho and he laughed quietly as he spoke before he began speaking again, “Anyway, I realised that eventually Seungmin was gonna see them and I was going to have to deal with that. I was going to have to deal with his reaction to them. And when he saw them and I told them how much I hated them, he told me they were beautiful. I remember him tracing them with his fingers, even kissing a few, and I cried so hard because I couldn’t believe he saw something so ugly on my body and thought it was worth loving. I know it’s not the same as what you’re going through… but I’d say it applies because I’m sure everything about you that you think isn’t worth loving or is flawed, is what Chan sees as beautiful… I understand that this doesn’t fix the situation with Chaesun, that’s out of my control and yours, unfortunately, but Chan or not, you need to know that you’re going to find someone who’ll love everything about you. Every scar, every fear, every spot, every hair, everything. I hope it’s Chan, I really do, but whoever it is, you’ll find them and you’re gonna realise that you are worth loving and you’ll see what we all see - this wonderful, handsome, talented, intelligent man who’s all the more interesting, and all the more beautiful because of his flaws.”</p><p>“F-Fuckin’ hell, Innie,” Minho sniffled, wiping his eyes with the sleeves of his cardigan, “No wonder Seungmin loves you so god damn much… Thank you. Really thank you.”</p><p>“It’s no trouble. You do these things for the people you love,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p> “What is it, daddy?” Chaesun asked, wiping her mouth gently with a tissue before grabbing at a handful of strawberries. Chan’s stomach was in knots. He hated having to do this.</p><p>But it was necessary.</p><p>“I have some news… that I wanted to share with you,” Chan explained, trying to stay calm as to not worry Chaesun who was looking at him with a puzzled expression, “I’ve met someone… a really, really nice boy… and I like him a lot.”</p><p>A small smile grew on Chaesun’s face as she chewed on the end of one of her strawberries. Chan exhaled, “And… you actually know him, Chae.”</p><p>“Hm?” She looked confused, but not discouraged, “I do? ...Is it Jisungie?”</p><p>Chan let out a hearty laugh, soothing his nerves a little, and reached out to ruffle Chaesun’s hair, “No, Chae. It’s not Jisung. It’s um…”</p><p>This was it. This was the moment. No going back now. He was reaching the crest of the wave, ready to crash over and see if he’d sink or swim.</p><p>“...Minho.”</p><p>Chaesun dropped her strawberry onto her plate. The clang felt deafening as the kitchen fell into silence. Chan couldn’t even meet her eyes because what was that if it wasn’t a terrible reaction? His eyes remained fixed on the counter, his mouth suddenly feeling incredibly dry. He couldn’t even process what he was going to say next because he’d really thought it would be fine. He had been naive and way too innocent and had barely thought about what would happen if Chaesun <em>actually</em> did have a problem. He knew he’d have to end things but where would they go from here? What was he supposed to say back? He stayed silent, feeling useless as Chaesun got up from her counter. He let out a defeated sigh, expecting Chaesun to walk off to her room and slam her door loudly.</p><p>And then her tiny arms slinked their way around his stomach, and she pulled him into a comforting hug.</p><p>“That’s so good, daddy,” Chaesun whispered, and Chan wasn’t sure what was happening. His arms naturally wrapped themselves around Chaesun as it was essentially second nature, but he wasn’t quite processing what was happening.</p><p>“Huh?” Chan mumbled, finally looking at Chaesun’s face and seeing a big toothy grin stretched on her face.</p><p>“You and Minho… that’s great! He’s a little scary, but he’s actually super nice!” Chaesun beamed. Chan let out a little laugh, pressing a kiss on the top of her head and letting her crawl onto his lap.</p><p>“He is kinda scary, isn’t he?” Chan replied, making his daughter giggle as she nodded in agreement, “But, y’know, he’s actually a pretty big teddy bear.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Don’t tell people that though ‘cause he’ll be mad at me,” Chaesun started laughing again and Chan joined her, feeling his chest grow lighter and the pressure in his head dissipating. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this relieved… and this happy. He’d cleared probably the biggest hurdle in Minho and his relationship so far. Sure, they’d be other problems in the future, Chan wasn’t that naive, but he was enjoying this small victory.</p><p>“He’s been playing TWICE songs in class and he promised he was gonna teach us some… so now I have more time to learn them ‘cause he’ll be around more!” Chaesun said excitedly, her smile growing somehow wider.</p><p>“What songs?” Chan asked, feeling his heart bloom as Chaesun seemed so incredibly excited about Minho and him being together.</p><p>“Feel Special,” Chaesun answered, and Chan chuckled to himself, remembering their first car ride together and Minho singing along to Feel Special quietly. Despite the horror Chan had felt, Minho had been undeniably cute that day and it had been when they’d started to patch things up.</p><p>“You’re sure that you’re okay with this? It’s not a little weird?” Chan asked, wanting to make sure Chaesun wasn’t just doing this to make Chan happy. She innocently shook her head, “If you’re happy, I’m happy, daddy.”</p><p>“What did I do to deserve such a wonderful girl?” Chan asked, pressing a loving kiss to Chaesun’s cheek, and letting her down onto the floor, “Go enjoy your pancakes, angel.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Chan [09:24]</strong>
</p><p>Are you free to come over?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:24]</strong>
</p><p>what’s this about?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Chan [09:24]</strong>
</p><p>I want you to meet Chaesun… outside of a school setting.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:25]</strong>
</p><p>you told her????</p><p> </p><p>Minho felt his stomach turn. Did she already know? Was he going to meet Chaesun and have Chan explain it to her with him there? He could see Chan typing, his hands shaking out of anticipation or fear.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Chan [09:25]</strong>
</p><p>Yep.</p><p>At first, I thought she was freaking out but then she hugged me and told me that it meant she’d be able to learn more TWICE choreos.</p><p>So, I guess that’s what you’ll be doing now.</p><p> </p><p>Minho almost dropped his phone as the wave of relief washed over him. He couldn’t believe it. He was sure that the end was near and now, he felt like a complete idiot for doing so. And soon, he began crying, letting out all the tension and fear that had been building up inside of him over the last few days.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Chan [09:27]</strong>
</p><p>Minho??</p><p>Everything okay??</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [09:27]</strong>
</p><p>can i call you?</p><p>i wanna hear your voice</p><p> </p><p>Chan’s profile picture, a selfie of them in the market from the night of their date, flashed up on his screen and Minho immediately accepted, bringing the phone to his ear.</p><p>“I can’t believe you told me this over text,” Minho laughed, sniffling slightly, and wiping his nose.</p><p>
  <em>“I couldn’t wait… I’m so happy, Minho. I can’t tell you how relieved I am,”</em>
</p><p>“I think I know how you feel,” Minho responded, a smile growing on his face at just hearing the pure joy that coated Chan’s voice. After his talk with Jeongin and some deep thinking, he was beginning to open up to the possibility that he was capable of being loved. He had already begun to accept that he did in fact deserve love and this was the next natural step.</p><p><em>“So, are you gonna come over?”</em> Chan asked, his voice teasing and maybe vaguely flirty.</p><p>“Yes, I’ll come over, Chan,” Minho answered, biting his lower lip gently and grinning, “I’ll be like twenty.”</p><p>
  <em>“Bye, I’ll see you soon,”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Despite how incredible Minho was feeling at Chan’s news, he couldn’t help but feel nervous once he approached the door to Chan’s apartment. After receiving the call, he grabbed a nearby lilac sweater, a disarming colour he thought, and pulled it on hastily whilst also grabbing his glasses, not having enough time to put in his contacts. Once arriving, he took a deep breath inward, rapped his knuckles on the door and waited for Chan to open up, quietly hoping it wouldn’t be Chaesun. After about a minute, Chan opened the door and his face lit up, with Minho feeling his own light up at seeing Chan’s beaming smile. Once again, Minho was shocked at how good Chan could look in casual clothes with just a pair of loose black gym shorts on and an oversized black pullover. If he eyed up Chan’s incredibly well-built legs upon arrival, he’d just keep that to himself.</p><p>“Hi,” Chan breathed out, opening his arms which Minho saw as an invitation for a hug. The older’s arms slipped around Minho’s body, holding them tight to each other. Chan’s body was radiating heat and Minho desperately wanted to stay like this forever, just wrapped in his strong arms. The sense of relief was almost overwhelming.</p><p>Minho’s hands found Chan’s broad shoulders and they locked eyes, exchanging a chaste kiss. It was a little too short for how incredible Minho was feeling right now, but he couldn’t believe he had another chance to kiss Chan.</p><p>“Are you nervous?”</p><p>“Trying not to be,”</p><p>“Just teach her TWICE and she’ll pretty much adore you,”</p><p>“Fuck, I better learn some more dances. What do you think’s easier - TT or Cheer Up?”</p><p>Chan gave a little laugh, kissing the tip of Minho’s nose and resting his forehead to the other’s. “We can discuss that later. Come inside, I’ll make you some coffee.”</p><p>Minho entered and began to make himself at home, with Chan explaining that Chaesun was probably in her room and he’d get her in a little while. Soon after, he handed Minho a soothing cup of coffee and sat down next to him, sliding his arm around Minho, and keeping him close. Minho loved how tactile Chan could be, with warmth spreading around his body with every touch.</p><p>“I hope the coffee’s okay,” Chan whispered as he absently stroked his fingers against Minho’s scalp.</p><p>“It’d be okay… if you weren’t a barista,” Minho joked, making a grimacing face as he sipped. He was beginning to feel more comfortable in teasing Chan without the fear that he may go overboard and threaten their relationship.</p><p>“Ouch, I regret making you that now,” Chan whined, kissing Minho’s neck lightly and nestling against his shoulder.</p><p>“I’m kidding, it’s great,” Minho clarified, not wanting Chan to think he actually hated the admittedly nice coffee. They intertwined hands, with Minho playing aimlessly with Chan’s fingers as he sipped.</p><p>“I’ll go get Chaesun in a minute, if that’s okay,” Chan spoke up, silently humming as Minho began to stroke up his arm. Minho ideally wanted to stay like this, curled up on the sofa with Chan and continuing his slow massages on Chan’s body and receiving quick kisses on his neck and cheek. Minho did enjoy sex but right now, he couldn’t think of anything more amazing than just lying with Chan and enjoying one another’s company.</p><p>Minho hummed in response, before groaning as Chan slipped his hands and body away from Minho and stood up. He felt a little childish with how clingy he was being but truthfully, he didn’t really care, and he wanted Chan to know how much he liked him. Speaking his feelings was always difficult, and he had to be very sure of what his feelings were, so he resorted to showing them through touch and his body. Chan chuckled at Minho’s neediness, quickly leaning down to brush his lips against Minho’s and stroking against his face lightly. The brown-haired boy had to fight hard not to grab Chan’s sweater and pull him onto his body, kissing him more feverishly. Minho assumed that Chan could sense the urge and pulled away, laughing again softly, and whispering into Minho’s ear, “Later, baby.”</p><p>Chan stood up and walked towards Chaesun’s room with Minho’s face flushing red at Chan’s words and the pet name. He hadn’t heard Chan call him that since the night they’d met, and the sudden rush of memory made his face grow even hotter. He could hear Chan in the next room, talking softly to Chaesun, and realised he had to make his face significantly less flushed to make a good first impression. He felt a little strange being so nervous about meeting a seven-year-old, but he had to make sure Chaesun really liked him.</p><p>The door to Chaesun’s room opened and Minho straightened up, putting on a friendly smile as Chan exited, followed by the familiar black pig-tailed hair of Chaesun. She met Minho’s gaze and as the brown-haired boy felt his nerves bubbling up, she sent a disarming and toothy smile his way. Minho softly raised his hand in a wave as Chan walked over with his daughter and sat opposite Minho.</p><p>“Hi, Chae,” Minho said softly, still feeling incredibly awkward and not really knowing what to do with his hands. He ended up fiddling with his fingers in his lap, waiting for Chaesun’s response. He looked up, seeing her scanning his face with sharp eyes.</p><p>“You’re definitely the cutest of Chan’s boyfriends,” Chae finally said, innocently smiling and shifting her body into a cross-legged sitting position. Minho giggled quietly, blushing at the brutally honest compliment whilst Chan put his head into his hands out of embarrassment. Chaesun didn’t seem what was so funny about what she had said and started laughing too, probably at her dad’s reaction. Minho couldn’t help but feel his heart jump at the mention of ‘boyfriend’ as well as Chan not correcting her.</p><p>“That’s good to hear, Chae. Thank you,” Minho laughed, running his hands through his hair. They spoke for a little while longer with Minho making sure that Chaesun was okay with this which she continuously explained that she was fine with it. Minho was impressed at her maturity, especially only being seven years old. The meeting eventually ended with Minho agreeing to teach Chaesun more of Feel Special which caused her to jump around excitedly. As she did, Chan looked over to Minho and gave a supportive smile before whispering a teasing ‘well done’. After a while, Chan told Chaesun to go finish off her homework which she begrudgingly did, claiming that she wanted to spend more time with Minho which made the younger boy grin hard, attempting to downplay it with a lower lip bite.</p><p>With the click of Chaesun’s door indicating she was gone, Chan stood up and made his way over to Minho, joining him in a similar position they had been in before.</p><p>“Well, that went well,” Chan smiled, pulling Minho into his lap, and wrapping his arms around his waist, “Thank you for doing this by the way. I hope you can understand that Chaesun’s really important to me, and I want her to get along with the people I’m seeing.” He looked apologetic as he spoke as if he were genuinely sorry Minho had to go through this.</p><p>“It’s really no problem, Chan,” Minho whispered, kissing Chan’s forehead, and curling his fingers around the back of his neck, “I know how much Chaesun means to you, you’re her dad for God’s sake.” Chan laughed lightly, bringing his hand up to brush Minho’s hair behind his hair.</p><p>“You’re so beautiful… and so wonderful. I’m so glad I met you,” Chan kissed his way up Minho’s neck before finally connecting their lips. Minho blushed heavily at the compliment, before giving into Chan’s lips and kissing him back vigorously. Chan’s hand fisted in Minho’s hair, tilting his head back and opening his mouth for Chan’s tongue to enter. Their tongues found one another with Chan’s creating slow, teasing motions against Minho’s. The brown-haired boy let out a quiet moan, his heart rate quickening as the kiss grew more intense. Pulling away to catch a breath, Minho met Chan’s deep gaze, stroking the back of his hair. His lips were red and slick with spit, with Minho assuming that his were a similar shade.</p><p>“So fucking beautiful,” Chan breathed, running his fingers over Minho’s lips. He giggled once again at the compliment, leaning his head on Chan’s shoulder, “Stop.”</p><p>His tone was playful with his cheeks pink and hot. Chan laughed too, kissing Minho’s temple. “I can’t help it. You’re just so pretty.”</p><p>“The prettiest of your boyfriends?” Minho teased, not even realising the implication that he was suggesting he too was a boyfriend. Chan nodded, cupping Minho’s cheek, “By far the prettiest.”</p><p>“You’re making me blush,” Minho whined, nestling into Chan’s large hand, “I’m not used to being like this.”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Well, I usually tease people a lot… but you make me… I don’t know. I like how I am with you,” Minho admitted, hooking his arms around Chan’s neck, and hugging his body. Chan tightened his grip around Minho’s waist, pulling him tighter to his body. Minho remembered how he got like this when he was with Seungmin, all sweet and pliable, eager to cuddle and kiss his significant other. He assumed that in friendships, his love language was teasing but in relationships, it was touch.</p><p>“Minho,” he heard Chan whisper, grabbing his attention. Chan’s look was soft and seemed so incredibly fond. He was still holding Minho’s cheek, making soft strokes against the soft skin. And still whispering, he spoke up again:</p><p>“Will you be my boyfriend?”</p><p>And Minho didn’t even have to think about it. He didn’t have to take a second or adjust because he already knew his answer. He’d known his answer for a while and was just trying to work up the nerve to ask first.</p><p>“I was waiting for you to ask... Yes, of course,” Minho responded, a wide smile growing on his face before he was being pulled into another heated kiss with Chan. It didn’t last as long with Chan breaking it to catch his breath. Minho’s hands had begun to slide over Chan’s chest, feeling the thumping of his heartbeat as they’d kissed. He was smiling widely, his eyes in crescents.</p><p>“I thought you were gonna say it was too soon or something,” Chan laughed, clearly relieved at Minho’s response. Minho shook his head, gripping his hands on Chan’s shoulder, “Honestly, after everything that’s happened recently, it made me realise how bad I wanted to be with you… and only you.”</p><p>They kissed again, unable to keep their lips off each other for more than a minute. Honestly, Minho just wanted to kiss Chan for the rest of the day. He didn’t care how sore his lips would be or how breathless he would get because he just wanted Chan. More than anything.</p><p>“With that in mind,” Chan began, “How about you meet my friends sometime?”</p><p>“I’d love to,” Minho replied, “Also, speaking of your friends, Hyunjin tells me you know LixStick.”</p><p>“Another fan?”</p><p>“We’re both obsessed,”</p><p>“Felix is gonna be unbearable,” Chan laughed to himself, “He loves meeting fans.”</p><p>“Please can I meet him soon?” Minho begged, putting on his best attempt at puppy eyes.</p><p>“Are you just using me for my friends?”</p><p>“Fuck… you found out,”</p><p>The two boys laughed quietly before resuming their soft kisses. They stayed like this for a while with Minho relishing in the fact that he actually had a fucking boyfriend right now. A boyfriend who was handsome, attentive, protective, and utterly wonderful.</p><p>He hadn’t felt this good in a long time.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong> <em>fruit cups</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>You [12:13]</strong>
</p><p>Who’s got two thumbs and a new boyfriend???</p><p>This guuuuy.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [12:13]</strong>
</p><p>booooooo</p><p>i hate you</p><p>no more dad jokes for a week</p><p>wait</p><p>wait</p><p>WHAT</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:14]</strong>
</p><p>CHANNIE!!!!!</p><p>AHHHHHH</p><p>^-^ ^-^</p><p>THIS IS SO EXCITING</p><p>binnie’s phone is charging but he’s very happy for you too</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [12:15]</strong>
</p><p>i also want him to meet you guys soon</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [12:15]</strong>
</p><p>finally</p><p>i wanna see what all the fuss is about</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:15]</strong>
</p><p>yay!!!</p><p>:))</p><p>WAIT</p><p>omg</p><p>i think i have an idea</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [12:16]</strong>
</p><p>???</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:16]</strong>
</p><p>threeway do it!!!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [12:16]</strong>
</p><p>EXCUSE ME???</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [12:16]</strong>
</p><p>FELIX</p><p>HUH</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:16]</strong>
</p><p>*date</p><p>THREEWAY DATE</p><p>I TYPED DATE</p><p>FUCKING AUTOCORRECT</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [12:17]</strong>
</p><p>What is a three-way date?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:17]</strong>
</p><p>like</p><p>you and minho</p><p>binnie and i</p><p>sungie and hyunjin</p><p>we can get dinner and have a nice lil homosexual meal</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [12:18]</strong>
</p><p>That actually sounds kinda nice.</p><p>Just maybe avoid the words ‘threeway’ and just go with ‘triple date’.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:18]</strong>
</p><p>that’s actually a much better name</p><p>my smart hyung!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [12:18]</strong>
</p><p>So, Jisung?</p><p>You up for it?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [12:19]</strong>
</p><p>do i have to pay?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:19]</strong>
</p><p>i am not paying for your food jisung</p><p>fuck off you’re going and you’re gonna have a pleasant time</p><p>also i really wanna see hyunjin again</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [12:20]</strong>
</p><p>u just want another ego boost</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [12:20]</strong>
</p><p>how dare you!!!!</p><p>am i not allowed to like hyunjin outside of the fact that he’s a fan?</p><p> </p><p>Chan sighed, rolling his eyes, and placing his phone down as it started to vibrate intensely on the coffee table.</p><p>He was starting to think about revoking his offer about Minho meeting his friends.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>is jeongin's stretch marks thing semi-autobiographical minus the actual acceptance part? ....maybe</p><p>anyway! next chapter will be the last with an epilogue following! i'm already sad that this story is drawing to a close but i want to end it while it's still good instead of me dragging it out for god knows how many chapters</p><p>thank you for reading!! &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. TIE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Can I see you?”</p><p>“It’s late, Chan. You can’t say things like tha- …oh wait, you mean FaceTime, don’t you?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Chan laughed, “What were you thinking?”</p><p>“Fuck off, you know what I was thinking,”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the final chapter!! (excluding the epilogue)</p><p>i'll give my proper thoughts at the end but i just wanted to once again thank you for the incredible response you guys have had to this fic. you are all wonderful.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chan awoke to his right arm being shaken lightly. Stirring to life, he fluttered his eyelids open and inhaled deeply as his eyes unblurred. Chaesun was stood by his bed, hands outstretched and gently rocking him back and forth.</p><p>“Daddy, wake up,” she whispered as Chan gradually sat up, scratching the back of his head.</p><p>“What is it, sweetheart?” Chan asked, reaching over to grab a nearby glass of water and taking a sip. He motioned for Chaesun to crawl into the bed which she did willingly, curling up to Chan like a monkey.</p><p>“Can we do something today?” she asked, hooking Chan’s arm around her body and showing off her best ‘please Dad’ expression. She was perhaps Chan’s biggest weakness with him being entirely unable to say no to her.</p><p>“Don’t you have homework to do?” he teased; already certain he was going to say yes but unable to resist winding Chae up a little bit.</p><p>“Nuh-uh!” Chaesun pouted, lifting her head defiantly, “I finished it all yesterday which means we can go do something!”</p><p>Chan chuckled, kissing Chaesun’s cheek, “What do you want to do today then, sweetheart?”</p><p>She sat in thought for a moment, perhaps not assuming that he would actually agree before lighting up, “Zoo! I wanna see red pandas!”</p><p>Continuing to wind up Chae, Chan made an overexaggerated humming noise, placing his fingers to his chin. Chaesun grew impatient, groaning as she waited for an answer. Just as she was about to scream, Chan stopped and nodded, “Yes, we can go to the zoo today… and see the red pandas.”</p><p>Chaesun let out a loud yelp and jumped onto Chan’s body, kneeing him in the chest and causing him to let out a loud grunt. Chaesun started giggling, wrapping her arms around him, and letting out several ‘thank yous’. After she finally calmed down and detached herself from Chan, she sat upon his lap.</p><p>“Can Minho come too?”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Are you busy today?” Chan asked, waltzing over to his wardrobe, and swinging the door open. Since his talk with Felix, he’d begun to look into getting more colourful clothes, and despite it still being majority monochrome, he had actually added some splashes of colour.</p><p><em>“Umm… I don't think so. Let me check,” </em>Minho responded, some rustling coming from the other line as it fell silent. He could hear some brief talking and what he thought was Hyunjin’s voice as Minho returned, <em>“No, I’m not. What’s up?”</em></p><p>“Do you want to go to the zoo today?”</p><p>
  <em>“What’s the occasion?”</em>
</p><p>“Chaesun wants to go. She asked for you specifically, by the way,” Chan explained, adding the small detail afterwards and grinning slightly, hoping it would make Minho blush.</p><p>
  <em>“Really?”</em>
</p><p>“Really. She likes you a lot,”</p><p>
  <em>“Is it sad that I’m caring so much about what a seven-year-old thinks about me?”</em>
</p><p>“I won’t tell,” Chan laughed, grabbing a coffee-brown plaid cardigan, and slipping it onto his shoulders before tucking it into his black pants.</p><p>
  <em>“Thank you,”</em>
</p><p>“So, are you coming then?”</p><p>
  <em>“It would be my pleasure,”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Come here, baby,” Jeongin cooed, motioning for Dori to crawl into his lap. He was curled up on the couch, massaging the top of her head and placing a small kiss on it. Seungmin watched him fondly, drinking his mug of coffee and leaning against the kitchen counter.</p><p>“Why don’t you cuddle me like that?” Seungmin asked, his tone playful. Jeongin looked up, giving a smirk, and replying, “I like Dori a lot more than you.”</p><p>Seungmin heard Minho’s door open, and the older boy exited, dressed in an oversized argyle patterned cardigan which was tucked into a pair of baggy black jeans. Jokingly, Jeongin gave a loud wolf whistle, causing Dori to spring up and hurry off his lap, eliciting a sad whine from the boy after.</p><p>“I’ll take that as I look good?” Minho asked, raising an eyebrow, and grinning softly. He walked over to Dori who was now keeping distance from Jeongin, picking her up and cuddling her in his arms, “Thanks for looking after the kids, by the way.”</p><p>“Anything for Doongie,” Seungmin responded, stroking the base of his ears. He heard Minho clear his throat loudly and begin glaring at Seungmin, “Oh, and Dori and Soonie, of course.”</p><p>“How can you prefer one, Seungminnie-hyung?” Jeongin asked, crossing his legs, “They’re all so cute.”</p><p>“Innie,” Minho smiled, walking past the younger boy, and ruffling his hair, “My favourite dongsaeng.”</p><p>“Hyunjin won’t like that,” Seungmin commented, finishing his coffee, and placing it on the counter. Minho slipped on his shoes and grabbed a nearby coat.</p><p>“Okay, I gotta go but I’ll be back after lunch. Don’t hurt my babies,”</p><p>“Enjoy your date!” Jeongin chimed as Minho exited the apartment. Once the door clicked shut, Jeongin spoke up again, “He’s so whipped.”</p><p>“It’s cute… why don’t we go on a zoo date?”</p><p>“I don’t see what’s so romantic about watching animals go at it in cages,”</p><p>“You’re so cynical,” Seungmin whined, waltzing over to the couch, and sitting down next to his boyfriend, reaching out to grab his hand, “Why am I even dating you?”</p><p>“Because you love me,” Jeongin countered, tilting his head towards Seungmin.</p><p>“Oh yeah, that’s it,” Seungmin laughed, snaking his hand around Jeongin’s neck, “I love you.”</p><p>They kissed briefly with Jeongin pressing his body up to Seungmin, “Do you think Minho’ll be mad if we do it on his couch?”</p><p>“You’re <em>really</em> lucky I love you when you say things like that, Innie,”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Red pandas!” Chaesun screamed, tugging on Chan’s arm, and pointing towards a small enclosure where a group of cuddly auburn creatures were rolling around and playing with each other. After Chan didn’t budge, Chaesun let go and hurried over to the pen, pressing her hands up to the glass and staring at the adorable animals, letting out small ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. Chan interlinked his fingers with Minho, walking slowly towards Chaesun.</p><p>“Holy shit, those are cute,” Minho laughed, looking fondly at the red pandas. A smile grew on Chan’s face as he saw the similar look of wonder in Minho’s eyes as he’d seen in Chaesun’s. As they walked, Minho began to pick up the pace to reach the panda’s enclosure faster before joining Chaesun’s side. The eldest of the group watched onwards with a bright smile on his face as Minho and Chaesun would point out certain things the pandas would do and let out small ‘awws’ every time one rolled over or squeaked happily.</p><p>“I want one,” Chaesun demanded, pressing her nose to the glass, and widening her eyes as a slightly more timid red panda crawled up near to her. She drummed her fingers on the glass gently, as to not scare it, but just to get its attention. It turned its head and twittered at her, before twisting onto its back and rolling about on the floor, the auburn hair contrasting with the vivid green grass.</p><p>“I think it likes you, Chae,” Minho said softly, crouching down to be on Chaesun’s level so they could both obsess over the small creature.</p><p>“I wanna take it home,” she whined, before turning to meet Chan’s eyes, “Can we?”</p><p>Chan laughed quietly, shaking his head as he reached the pen, “No, Chae. We can’t take it home. It lives here.”</p><p>“Y’know, we could always steal it,” Minho added which made the small girl begin to nod her head vehemently. Chan smacked the top of Minho’s head, scoffing.</p><p>“You’re corrupting my daughter,” he scolded as Minho and Chaesun began to start giggling. The brown-haired boy stood up and linked his arms around Chan’s body, pressing a kiss to his cheek.</p><p>“Sorry,” he whispered as Chan blushed lightly at Minho’s shameless display of affection. He liked how he was becoming unafraid of kissing or holding Chan in public, especially with how shy and timid Minho used to be, with him explaining some rough experiences he’d had with bigots. Now, it seemed as if he was starting to not care as much.</p><p>Minho grabbed Chan’s forearm and hooked it around his shoulder, keeping close. They both watched as Chaesun continued to coo over the red pandas, turning back to the two men and pointing at a red panda that was slinked over a tree branch lazily. It was undeniably adorable.</p><p>“Hey, Chaesun,” Minho spoke up again after having fallen into a comfortable silence with Chan. His daughter turned around, raising her eyebrows and nodding, “Do you wanna get some ice cream?”</p><p>“Please!” Chaesun chirped, standing up quickly and running over to Minho, “How many scoops can I get?”</p><p>“Just one, Chae,” Chan added, making his daughter frown slightly. He guessed that for a little while, he was going to be the ‘bad cop’ with Minho indulging Chaesun in all her favourite things to really win her favour. Chan had to say, he was doing a pretty amazing job so far.</p><p>“I’ll buy,” Minho whispered, pressing another kiss to Chan’s cheek before reaching out his hand to Chae. She took it eagerly and the two began to walk towards a nearby ice cream van. Chan followed behind, before being stopped by a buzzing in his pocket. Slipping it out of his pants, he was met with a vaguely familiar number calling him.</p><p>“Hey Minho!” he called after his boyfriend, making the brown-haired man turn, “I gotta take this! Can you look after Chae?”</p><p>He shot back a thumbs-up as Chan accepted the call and walked off to a more secluded part of the zoo. Strolling past several enclosures, he spoke up, “Hello?”</p><p>“Is this Christopher Bang?” It was a woman’s voice. Mature sounding.</p><p>“This is him,” Chan responded, trying to sound professional. He assumed it was a vaguely formal phone call due to the use of ‘Christopher’ instead of just ‘Chan’. He made his way to an area in the shade, with large overhanging tree branches painting the floor in a kaleidoscope of shapes in silhouette.</p><p>“This is Kang Yunhee from Eclipse Productions. I have some information regarding your audition for Cataclysm.” the woman, Yunhee, explained, still keeping her formal, almost robotic vocal tone.</p><p>Chan stiffened at the news. He knew the call was coming, but he hadn’t really expected when. He took a deep breath, waiting for the result. His nerves were bubbling up in his stomach and he could feel his throat constricting.</p><p>“The role is yours if you’ll take it,”</p><p>Chan could’ve dropped his phone, and due to the sweat produced from his stress, he might’ve. Trying to remain composed and not scream in joy at his future boss, he responded, “Thank you so much. That’s amazing news.”</p><p>“Is that a yes?”</p><p>“Yes. I’d love to have the role,”</p><p>“That’s great news, Christopher. We’ll send you some follow-up information in the coming days and there’ll be a read-through once we have the rest of the cast. That should be by the end of the month. After that, we’ll most likely have the shoot date as well,”</p><p>“Perfect. Once again, thank you so much,”</p><p>“It’s our pleasure. Have a good rest of your day,”</p><p>“Goodbye,”</p><p>The phone call ended, and Chan let out a quiet yelp before burying his face in his hands and laughing. A wide grin on his face, he made his way back to Chaesun and Minho who were sitting on a bench, enjoying their ice creams, and talking. Chan immediately spotted the second scoop on Chaesun’s cone but didn’t even point it out, way too overjoyed to cause a fuss. Minho saw him and waved with a big smile on his face. Chan walked up and was promptly handed a slightly dripping scoop of chocolate ice cream.</p><p>“Chae said it was your favourite,” Minho explained, smiling softly. Chan was still smiling like an idiot and he imagined Minho was probably curious about his sudden high, “What was the call about?”</p><p>“I got the part,” Chan explained, bursting out in laughter again. Minho’s jaw dropped as he jumped up and pulled Chan into a hug, being careful not to smear vanilla ice cream on Chan’s cardigan, “Oh my god, Chan! That’s amazing!”</p><p>He pulled away, pressing a vanilla-flavoured kiss to Chan’ lips, keeping it quick for Chaesun’s sake. Speaking of Chaesun, she was way too invested in her half-chocolate, half-strawberry ice cream to register what was happening, only looking confused when she looked up at the two men and saw their ecstatic smiles.</p><p>“What’s happened?” she asked, pursing her lips slightly. Chan bent down in front of her, meeting her eye level and explained, “I’m gonna be in a movie, angel.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Chae asked, her eyes widening massively and the familiar toothy grin spreading on her face. Chan nodded.</p><p>“Yep, a real movie!”</p><p>“I’m gonna have a famous daddy,” Chaesun giggled, taking a large bite on her ice cream out of happiness before cringing at the sudden brain freeze. Chan chuckled, ruffling her hair, and taking the spot next to her. Minho followed soon after, resting his hand on Chan’s thigh and leaning his head on the elder’s shoulder.</p><p>“It doesn’t feel real,” Chan said quietly to Minho, stroking his fingers through Minho’s hair after bringing his arm up around his boyfriend’s shoulder.</p><p>“You earned it,” Minho whispered, kissing Chan’s free hand, “I’m so proud of you.” They stayed in the zoo for about an hour afterwards, walking around and looking at all the animals Chaesun wanted to see. Chan was still riding the happiness high, not entirely present and smiling constantly. Minho remained interlinked with Chan, following Chaesun to each new enclosure where she would coo and fawn over the next cute creature. The red pandas had been her favourite, but she’d also expressed her love for the penguins and the sloths.</p><p>After a while, Chan eventually came back down to Earth and spent the rest of the visit feeling his heart bloom as Minho and Chaesun grew closer. A particular highlight was when Chaesun had demanded a closer look at the giraffes. Chan, leaning into his role as her dad, had complained that it involved walking so Minho offered. They’d walked up to the edge of the enclosure and craned their necks up to look at the towering giraffe in all its majesty. From the bench, Chan had seen the adorable sight of Minho and Chaesun admiring the giraffe, hands interlocked tightly, and he’d taken a photo. As they returned, Chan continued to stare at the picture with it already becoming the best he’d ever taken in his opinion.</p><p>The two returned, still holding hands and smiling in wonder, with Chan thinking just how natural Minho looked in his role as a father figure.</p><p>He would really make an excellent dad for Chaesun.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p><em>“I had so much fun today. Thank Chae for inviting me,” </em>Minho’s voice chirped from Chan’s phone, resting on his bedside table as Chan slipped his t-shirt off and threw it towards his laundry basket.</p><p>“I think you gave your thank yous with how much you treated her. She had an amazing time as well. Hasn’t shut up about it actually… Minho this, Minho that,”</p><p>
  <em>“Do I detect some jealousy?”</em>
</p><p>“No… okay, maybe,”</p><p><em>“You’re too cute,” </em>Chan blushed slightly, sitting on the edge of his bed, and picking the phone up to his ear.</p><p>“Can I see you?”</p><p>
  <em>“It’s late, Chan. You can’t say things like tha- …oh wait, you mean FaceTime, don’t you?”</em>
</p><p>“Yeah,” Chan laughed, “What were you thinking?”</p><p>
  <em>“Fuck off, you know what I was thinking,”</em>
</p><p>“Well… you can always come over then,” Chan teased. If his face was growing hotter, he’d just keep quiet about that.</p><p>
  <em>“I’ll call you. Just let me put a shirt on,”</em>
</p><p>Chan let out a whine as Minho said that, making the younger laugh quietly. <em>“Okay, message received.”</em></p><p>The line went quiet for a second before Minho’s face appeared on screen, cheeks pink and a bright smile on his face. His hair was slightly dishevelled with bare shoulders peeking out from the bottom of the screen. He looked gorgeous.</p><p>“Wow,” Chan said softly under his breath, unable to fight the words slipping out.</p><p><em>“What was that?” </em>Minho asked innocently, sinking back into his pillow.</p><p>“You’re gorgeous, you know that?”</p><p><em>“Fuck, Chan,” </em>Minho giggled, covering his face with his free hand, <em>“You gotta stop talking like this.”</em></p><p>“You have a right to know,” Chan argued, laughing, “My boyfriend deserves to know how pretty he looks right now.”</p><p>
  <em>“I still haven’t gotten used to you calling me that,”</em>
</p><p>“I love calling you that… I should do it more often,” They made eye contact over the call, both giving soft smiles. Chan was desperate to have Minho next to him, not even for anything sexual, he just wanted to be near him, to be with Minho. To stretch out his hand and curl into soft brown locks or run fingers over his soft skin.</p><p>
  <em>“So why did you want to see me?”</em>
</p><p>“I just wanted to see your face,”</p><p>At that, Minho’s cheeks flushed pink, and he buried his face into his pillow, <em>“You’ve got me acting like a fucking school girl Chan!”</em></p><p>The elder started laughing as Minho continued, <em>“Are you always this aggressively wonderful?”</em></p><p>“Only with you,”</p><p>
  <em>“I’m hanging up if you make me blush again,”</em>
</p><p>“Noooo,” Chan whined, “Please stay. I wanna keep talking with you,”</p><p>
  <em>“Okay, but it’s my turn to drown you in compliments,”</em>
</p><p>“Oh go ahead! I’m not opposed <em>at </em>all,”</p><p>The two boys continued talking for most of the night, making the other blush and or giggle with the sneaky compliments they’d pepper into the conversation. Chan was struggling to remember the last time he’d felt so comfortable with another person.</p><p>Things flowed so effortlessly with Minho.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“Big night tonight,” Hyunjin muttered, leaning towards the mirror, and gently applying eyeshadow to his lid. Since letting Felix do his make-up (an event he never shut up about), he’d also asked for tips and tricks and was soon becoming pretty confident in his make-up ability.</p><p>“Stop it,” Minho rolled his eyes, grabbing his cologne bottle and spraying it on his inner wrists and then his neck, “You’ll make me nervous.”</p><p>“You aren’t?” Hyunjin asked, doing the same on his other eyelid, “I was so nervous before meeting all of them… Just to clarify, you shouldn’t be, they’re wonderful… but I was still terrified.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Minho began, running a comb through his hair to make it lie perfectly, “I guess it’s ‘cause you’ve already met them, and they like you. It just… doesn’t seem as scary.”</p><p>“Awe, hyung,” Hyunjin cooed, giving an insufferable smile, and winking as he finished up his eyeshadow. They continued to talk about nothing in particular as Hyunjin finished up his make-up, with Minho hesitantly asking if Hyunjin could add a little to him which the blonde excitedly agreed to. This ended with Minho wearing incredibly subtle eyeshadow and eyeliner as well as some gloss lightening his lips to a `softly pinkish hue.</p><p>“You look great,” Hyunjin smiled, wiping away a stray bit of gloss from around Minho’s lips and narrowing his eyes, “Wonderful.”</p><p>The blonde slid aside and let Minho see himself in the mirror, making the older boy break out into a smile, “Wow, I kinda do look great.”</p><p>“Okay, come help me pick out my outfit,” Hyunjin demanded, grabbing Minho’s wrist, and pulling him out of the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Now, standing in front of the restaurant (the same one Chan had tried to go to on their first date), Minho felt his nerves coming… but he wasn’t going to admit that to Hyunjin. Sliding his phone out of his pocket, he sent a quick text announcing that the two of them had arrived which Chan quickly replied to stating that they were already inside.</p><p>“Fuck, we’re late,” Minho muttered, following Hyunjin into the restaurant as he pushed the glass door open. The wave of heat from the restaurant suddenly hit him as he entered, adding to his already growing discomfort.</p><p>It was really fucking fancy in there. Minho couldn’t help giggling at the fact that Chan had wanted to take him there for their first date. He was obviously eager to treat Minho although the way the date had panned out had been wonderful.</p><p>It was reasonably dark inside with dim orange lighting coming from industrial hanging lamps that were littered around the restaurant. The darkness helped blend the black and burgundy furnishings into the darkness, creating an undeniably mysterious atmosphere that helped add to the extravagance of the place.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Hyunjin brushed aside, walking up to a smiling man standing by a computer, “We’re fashionably late.”</p><p>“...Sure,” Minho responded as Hyunjin smiled back to the man and explained they were looking for Bang Chan’s table which Minho corrected to Christopher Bang. The smiling man nodded and pointed them over to the corner of the restaurant where four boys were sitting at a booth. It was tucked away from the other patrons with a curved leather booth enclosing around an industrial-style table. Minho could spot Chan talking to a boy with shining blonde hair, Felix he assumed, who was sandwiched in between a muscular black-haired boy and a bouncy brown-haired boy.</p><p>“Ready?”</p><p>“As I’ll ever be,”</p><p>Spotting they’d arrived, the cute brown-haired boy waved and stood up, motioning for Chan to get up too. The two boys met them near the table with both pulling them into a hug. Minho had to resist kissing Chan as they greeted one another, seeing as it was a pretty public place.</p><p>“Hi,” Chan said quietly, pulling away from Minho, “You look amazing.”</p><p>“So do you,” Minho responded, admiring the light additions of make-up to Chan’s face, obviously having had a similar idea to Minho.</p><p>“Come sit, I can’t wait for you to meet everyone,” </p><p>Minho nodded, following Chan into the booth, and sliding up next to him, scanning over the faces he was being greeted with. From the excited greeting he’d given Hyunjin, Minho suspected that the cute brunette with puffy cheeks was Jisung. Across the table from him were the two boys. Minho was right about the boy being Felix with his suspicions being confirmed once he recognised his striking facial features and an almost blinding smile that was present in his videos. Embarrassingly, he also recognised the handsome black-haired boy to his left thanks to his appearances in Felix’s videos - Changbin. He was somehow more muscular and stockier in person than he appeared on YouTube.</p><p>“Hi, I’m Felix. It’s so nice to meet you,” the blonde beamed, outstretching a small delicate hand which Minho shook. The brown-haired boy tried not to freak out that he was touching the hand of a famous YouTuber. Remaining calm, he shifted his eyes over to Changbin who Felix also introduced, “And this is my boyfriend, Changbin.”</p><p>The black-haired boy smiled and also shook Minho’s hand, giving an impressively strong grip in the process, “It’s so nice to meet you guys too. Chan speaks very highly of you both.”</p><p>The blonde cooed at Chan, giving a blinding grin whilst Changbin chuckled slightly, throwing a glance at Chan.</p><p>“And as you’ve guessed,” Hyunjin added, making Minho flick his eyes over to the blonde-haired boy who was now pressed up close to Jisung and stroking his arm, “This is Jisung.”</p><p>“Hyunjin’s spoken a lot about you, Jisung,” Minho grinned, shaking Jisung’s hand and making the brown-haired boy giggle, “It’s good to finally put a face to the name.”</p><p>“Chan’s done the same about you,” Jisung added, making the eldest at the table blush slightly as Minho curled his hand onto his thigh, “Also I’m a little sad to hear my boyfriend hasn’t been showing me off to his friends.” Hyunjin let out a ‘tsk’ at that, tousling Jisung’s hair.</p><p>“You better have said good things,” Minho teased, glancing at Chan’s eyes. The black-haired man nodded and snaked his arm around Minho’s shoulder, “Always, baby.”</p><p>Now it was Minho’s turn to blush, twisting his head away from Chan and grinning.</p><p>“You guys are just fucking adorable,” Felix pointed out, grabbing his wine glass, and taking a sip.</p><p>“Hey, Felix! What about us?” Jisung whined. </p><p>“Hyunjin’s cute but you’re insufferable, Ji,” Felix joked dryly, making Hyunjin smile widely. Minho could imagine how much he was freaking out in his head. Minho was just about holding it together with Felix’s compliment aimed at him and Chan. </p><p>After ordering more drinks and their meals, the six boys continued talking with Chan’s friend group firing off the usual questions towards Minho and trying their best to act as protective as possible. Chan was very sweet about the whole thing, whispering ‘You don’t have to answer that’ when questions were a little too personal, but Minho was game, and the steady stream of red wine entering his system was helping with his honesty. Having finished their main course, Felix whispered something into Changbin’s ear, making the black-haired man stop slightly before nodding.</p><p>With that, Felix gently tapped on his glass, grabbing the attention of the others around the table.</p><p>“Okay, so I know this is meeting Minho night, which is amazing… you’re really wonderful, Minho so please don’t fuck it up, Chan… but, we have an announcement we really wanted to share,” Felix explained, his hand curling into a fist on the table, presumably out of nerves. As he spoke, Changbin reached his hand over and grabbed Felix’s, smiling supportively. Minho could already see the sparkle of tears in Felix’s eyes. The brunette looked over to Chan who seemed a little apprehensive, unsure of what was going to be said. Minho could only really assume it was going to be a marriage announcement, despite noticing that Felix’s fingers were unusually bare. Peering at Hyunjin, the blonde responded with a confused shrug. After a few moments of silence, Changbin spoke up again:</p><p>“We’re looking to adopt a child together,”</p><p>As he spoke, he couldn’t help breaking out into a smile as Felix joined him, “It’s still pretty theoretical at the moment… but we’ve had so much fun looking after Chaesun, we just wanted to give it a go.”</p><p>Jisung and Hyunjin beamed supportively, the small brunette reaching over to pull the couple into a tight hug whilst Minho smiled happily at the news. Chan, however, remained a little stoic.</p><p>“Give it a go?” he asked, looking a little concerned. Minho could see why as Chan understood the most about parenting and the toll it took.</p><p>“Maybe Lix didn’t mean it like that, hyung. We know how important this is,”</p><p>“I know you know. I’m just not sure you’ve thought this all the way through,” Chan responded, “Having a child isn’t all fun and games, you give up a part of your life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so happy for you guys and I have no doubt you’ll be good parents, but I don’t want you guys to dive headfirst into a pretty demanding situation.”</p><p>Okay, at least Chan wasn’t offended. That was good. Minho couldn’t help but feel endeared at how protective Chan was of his friends. He genuinely wanted what was best for all of them constantly and was always looking out for them and helping them out where he could.</p><p>“I see your point, Chan. I really do and Binnie said the same thing when I first brought it up… but we’re serious about this. We already know we want to spend the rest of our lives together and the next natural step is raising a kid together… And don’t even bring up marriage because that shit is just a piece of paper that binds you together by law,” Felix answered as Minho saw Jisung pout with the brunette explaining, “Hey, I wanted to get married.”</p><p>“I have nothing against marriage, Ji. It’s just not for us,” Felix clarified, reaching over to squeeze Jisung’s hand, “Anyway, we’ve really thought about it. We both work from home, so we’ll be available twenty-four seven. Money won’t be an issue right now and we already have that spare bedroom in the apartment just collecting dust. Besides, I’d say I’d make a pretty good parent… and so would Binnie. He was fucking great at changing Chaesun’s diapers.”</p><p>Chan was quiet for a little bit, thinking about his next words. Minho couldn’t help feeling like he was intruding on a personal moment for the friend group, but also felt slightly honoured that they were welcoming enough to openly announce and discuss this with him. It did a great job of making him feel like he belonged in the group already despite only having met them an hour ago.</p><p>“I won’t act like this has ended all my worries about you guys,” Chan began, giving a smile to show his more supportive attitude now, “But I agree you guys would make good parents and if you’re honestly as serious as you say you are, I have no doubt you’re gonna raise a fucking amazing kid. However, I am not going to have you two calling me day and night asking for tips because I will literally kill you both so, please, buy a handbook or something.”</p><p>“Well, I say we toast to that,” Jisung chimed in, raising his dangerously full wine glass into the air. Hyunjin laughed slightly, bringing Jisung’s arm down. “I think you’ve had enough, babe.”</p><p>“But it’s a celebration,” The drunken brunette whined, trying to take a sip of his drink whilst Hyunjin slid some water over to him. Minho could see where Hyunjin’s natural instinct to care for others came out when he was attending to Jisung.</p><p>“I think I’m with Jisung here,” Minho chirped, raising his glass, “Congratulations, you two. I wish you the best of luck.”</p><p>Minho clinked his glass with the four other boys, Jisung trying to join in, and took a long drink.</p><p>“Thank you, Minho. And can I just say, Chan has chosen excellently because you are just lovely,” Felix commented, his words slightly slurred as the alcohol began to hit him.</p><p>“Honestly, Chan and Jisung’s significant others are a lot better than them,” Changbin added, his tone playful. This, of course, caused Chan to reach over and smack Changbin’s arm whilst Jisung sat, wallowing in offence.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“How do you think it went?” Hyunjin asked, washing his hands in the sink, and drying them with paper towels.</p><p>“It’s still not over,” Minho reminded Hyunjin, exiting the cubicle and walking over to the sink. It was technically true although they’d finished dinner and were getting ready to leave, with Hyunjin and Minho mentioning they needed to go to the bathroom before heading back to their apartment. The bathroom of the restaurant was just as luxurious as the rest of it with the same sleek black and burgundy aesthetic and calm jazz music playing on the speakers.</p><p>“Okay, well how do you think it’s going?”</p><p>“I’d say pretty well. Friends are really great. I did have a mild freak-out, a good one though, when Felix called Chan and I cute,” Minho explained, drying his hands, “Is it sad he feels like a celebrity?”</p><p>“No, I totally agree. I still haven’t gotten used to the fact I’m dating the friend of LixStick,” Hyunjin admitted, “And I’m really not used to him actually speaking to me like a friend.”</p><p>Minho nodded in agreement, checking his phone, and seeing the time, “Well, we should probably get back to them. Don’t want to keep them waiting.”</p><p>The boys left the bathroom and came back to the table where the others were putting on their coats. Chan handed Minho’s jacket over to him and watched with a smile. After putting it on, Chan walked up to Minho and adjusted the lapels on his jacket.</p><p>“I was thinking… can I walk you home?” He asked, the question innocent enough but the flirtatious grin on his face suggested something else. Minho now flushed fully red, the tips of his ears burning.</p><p>“Sure,” Minho responded, looking over to Hyunjin and Jisung who were getting dangerously close to each other for a public place. He made a mental note to tell Hyunjin to spend the night at Jisung’s, something he knew the blonde wouldn’t mind.</p><p>“Great,” Chan smirked, stroking Minho’s hair gently, “Let’s get out of here.”</p><p>Minho nodded as Chan turned back to the boys, announcing, “We’re gonna get out of here. So, I’ll see you all soon.”</p><p>Hyunjin’s face suddenly widened into a grin as he wiggled his eyebrows at Minho. The brunette looked over to him and the unspoken decision for him to spend the night at Jisung’s seemed to have been understood.</p><p>“It was so great to meet all of you by the way. We should really do this again sometime,” Minho added, feeling Chan slide his arm around Minho’s body, “And once again, congratulations Changbin and Felix. It’s honestly amazing news.”</p><p>Felix cooed, hurrying over to pull Minho into a loving hug, “It was so great to meet you too!” </p><p>As they pulled apart, Felix quickly whispered, “You’re by far my favourite of Chan’s boyfriends.”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>Chan slipped his fingers between Minho’s, walking out of the restaurant into the chilly November air. The brunette stayed close to his body, swaying slightly from the alcohol running through his body.</p><p>“That was so much fun. Your friends are really nice,” Minho smiled, bringing Chan’s up to his lips, and pressing a kiss on them.</p><p>“They really liked you too. When you and Hyunjin went to the bathroom, they wouldn’t shut up about how great you are,” Chan explained, looking up into the night sky and admiring the astonishingly bright moon. Despite not being able to see too many stars (a disadvantage of living in such a large city), the night sky still felt incredibly calming with a few specks of white sparkles littered in the darkness.</p><p>“Are you okay about the whole Felix and Changbin thing? I know you said you were fine… but I just wanted to check,” Minho asked, making Chan’s chest lighten from how much he could tell Minho cared about him.</p><p>“Felix and I had a little talk. I apologised because I did come off as a little rude, but he knew it was only ‘cause I was looking out for them. He reassured me that they’re not doing it immediately and Changbin is really thinking through it all in as much detail as possible. I think I’ll always worry about them… but it’s their life so I can’t police it that much,” Chan explained, thinking back to his conversation with Felix and how happy Felix looked thinking about parenthood. As he’d said, he would always worry about Felix and Changbin, but he did not doubt that they would be truly amazing parents.</p><p>“You’re a really wonderful person you know?” Minho spoke up after a few seconds of silence had fallen between them, “You care so much about your friends and you’re always so understanding about anything. I can’t really believe I’m dating someone so amazing.”</p><p>“Fucking hell, Minho,” Chan laughed, unable to meet Minho’s eyes. He could feel his face on fire, with heat rushing straight to his cheeks.</p><p>“See! Now you know how it feels!”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Chan whispered, his fingers playing with the buttons of the brunette’s shirt. Minho was straddling his lap, hair dishevelled, and face flushed. The moment they’d entered his apartment, the two boys had been all over each other, feverishly kissing one another whilst making their way to Minho’s bedroom. From there, Chan had picked Minho up, making the younger man giggle and bury his head in Chan’s shoulder, before ending up on the bed together with Minho in Chan’s lap, pressing kisses to the elder’s neck.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Minho giggled as he snaked his hands over Chan’s bare chest, making his skin prick up.</p><p>Chan continued, “What I’m saying is… I don’t want to rush anything with you so, if you feel uncomfortable or aren’t sure, just say so. We can just kiss and cuddle for now.”</p><p>“You’re sweet,” Minho purred, running his fingers through Chan’s hair, “But, I’m pretty sure I want to have sex with you.”</p><p>At Minho’s response, Chan started to unbutton Minho’s shirt, sliding the soft material off his body, and pulling the younger man tight to him. Minho let out a gentle moan as Chan began to suck on Minho’s neck whilst turning the brunette onto his back so he could press his weight onto him.</p><p>“So pretty,” Chan hummed, sliding his hands down Minho’s sides to grip his waist. Minho brought his hands up to Chan’s face, tilting his head towards him so he could press a heated kiss to Chan’s lips.</p><p>The first time with Minho had been enjoyable but god, something about this was already so much better.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“‘M sleepy,” Minho mumbled, sinking his head into his pillow as he felt Chan’s arms slink around his smaller frame. His heart was still racing as well as his cheeks remaining pink and his hair sticking to his forehead with sweat.</p><p>“Go to sleep, baby,” Chan hushed, tucking Minho’s hair behind his ear, and pressing a kiss to his nose, “You did so amazing.”</p><p>Minho could feel his eyes growing heavy as sleep was beginning to pull him under. He felt so safe in Chan’s strong arms, wrapped in his warmth, and receiving gentle kisses from him. The black-haired boy began to make slow strokes over Minho’s skin, keeping up his ministrations.</p><p>And he wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, or the drowsiness, or how loved Chan had just made him feel but he didn’t even think about it when his next words slipped out:</p><p>“Chan… I’m in love with you,”</p><p>Chan’s slow strokes stopped as Minho felt panic overtake his body. He was now regretting his words, afraid that Chan might leave or not reciprocate and grow distant. And then, he felt a small kiss being pressed to his lips and Chan nuzzling his nose against Minho’s skin.</p><p>“I love you too, Minho. I think I've loved you for a while now... but who can blame me? You're perfect,”</p><p>And, Minho couldn’t hold back his tears, feeling them spill out onto his cheeks and down his neck. He hadn’t felt like this for what had felt like forever. Hadn't felt so loved. </p><p>Right now, he could’ve sworn they were the only two people in the world. Because they were in love with each other. Because Chan loved him back. Because he could be loved. Someone could see all his flaws; all his insecurities and they could still love him. Because for such a long time, he’d felt so incredibly inadequate and like he’d never feel how he’d felt with Seungmin. And yet, here he was.</p><p>Loved. Actually, genuinely, unconditionally loved.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Chan asked, stroking away some stray hairs from Minho’s face.</p><p>“Y-Yeah,” Minho sniffled, wiping his nose with his hand, “I’m just remembering everything about this moment… b-because right now, my life… It’s just perfect.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so that's it for the official story :)</p><p>it's been a real ride. starting off with this stupid idea i had and it actually turning into a full story. i never actually thought i'd see it all the way through but i really fell in love with the world and the characters whilst writing and found myself wanting to write it all the time.</p><p>looking back on it now that i've finished, i do have a lot of things i'd change but i think i'd rather keep two left feet as it is. it's my first fic and those are always messy, the storylines always a little bit jumbled, the inconsistencies are always consistent. i hope that any problems or plot-holes that were found didn't detract too much. anyway, back to the sentimental shit!!!</p><p>i was also really spurred on by the support i had from all of you guys that were reading and commenting. it's been amazing to hear your thoughts and all your kind words. i love you all so much.</p><p>i'd also like to link this song - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OPsHmrWQ7I">your ocean - hoppipolla</a> (make sure to turn on cc if you don't already because the lyrics are just gorgeous)</p><p>not only is it a really beautiful ballad but i think it really encapsulates what TWO LEFT FEET is all about - love being a constant. i'm gonna try not to get too profound cos this is just a fanfiction but in essence, TWO LEFT FEET is an example of unconditional love, whether that's romantic or platonic. it's an example of seeing someone's flaws, their insecurities, their fears, their everything and loving them wholly and completely for it. it's about holding their hand and walking through the fire with them because of how much you love that person.</p><p>thank you so much for reading &lt;3 i sincerely hope you enjoyed and i'll see you very soon with the epilogue (which is literally just fluff but it's cute as fuck damn it)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. EPILOGUE: REWIRE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Snow day!” Minho yelled excitedly, pointing out the window to the cityscape painted a delicate white.</p><p>“We have snow every year,” Chan grunted, “Was it worth waking me up for it?”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>THE FINAL CHAPTER!!!</p><p>i know it technically ended last chapter but this is the official final instalment of two left feet!!!!</p><p>thank you for all of your constant kind words and support. this fic has so many more hits and kudos than i could've ever imagined when thinking about it so thank you so much for that!!</p><p>i hope you enjoy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>TWO MONTHS LATER</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“Wake up,”</p><p>Chan groaned, rolling over. He wasn’t entirely sure what time it was, but he knew it was too early to be opening his eyes. He reached his arms over to feel for Minho, finding the space empty.</p><p>“Wake up!”</p><p>Chan jolted, finally opening his eyes, and continuing to groan. He sat up, turning to the source of the noise, and expecting to find an eager Chaesun, only to meet the gaze of an overly excited Minho.</p><p>“What is it, baby?” Chan asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and letting his vision focus. With a blinding grin on his face, Minho walked over to Chan’s window and pulled the curtains wide, allowing the room to be invaded with a glaring white light. Chan howled and shielded his eyes, letting them adjust to the light as he slowly looked back at Minho.</p><p>“Snow day!” Minho yelled excitedly, pointing out the window to the cityscape painted a delicate white.</p><p>“We have snow every year,” Chan grunted, “Was it worth waking me up for it?”</p><p>Minho sighed, crawling onto the bed, and curling up to Chan’s body, “You’re no fun. Chaesun’s real excited about it.”</p><p>“She always is,” Chan chuckled, pressing a kiss to Minho’s temple as the brunette curled his arms around Chan’s body, “Should we do something today then?”</p><p>“I’m perfectly fine to stay like this… get some big blankets… watch crappy TV… eat our body weight,” Minho answered, his voice growing more relaxed and playful. The offer was tempting. Most days Chan just wanted to cuddle and kiss Minho, completely latched onto him and reluctant to let him go. </p><p>Sick days whilst dating Minho were the best as he’d always take the day off in solidarity and just lie with Chan until he felt better, coddling, and caring for him. It also turned out that Minho made heavenly chicken soup.</p><p>“You always want to do that,” Chan reasoned as Minho snuggled further into his side, responding, “I can’t help it that you’re so cuddly. Just wanna stay like this forever sometimes.”</p><p>“Let’s see what Chaesun wants to do… I doubt she wants to spend a snow day cuddling in bed with her dad and his boyfriend,” Chan chuckled, kissing Minho a final time before pulling away from the brunette. Minho whined, eventually sitting up and following Chan out of his bedroom into the kitchen.</p><p>The moment they entered; Chan burst into laughter upon seeing Chaesun sitting on the sofa. She was sitting politely and patiently and dressed entirely in snow gear. She was wrapped in an oversized highlighter pink ski jacket that was layered over a white turtleneck and paired with some puffy white snow pants.</p><p>“Well, I guess it’s decided what we’re doing today,” Minho laughed, coming up behind Chan and resting his hand gently on the elder’s shoulder.</p><p>“Can we go sledding in the park please?” Chaesun beamed, bouncing up and hurrying over to the two men with the swish of the waterproof fabric following her. She quickly leapt into Chan’s arms with him being unable to disagree.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>the fruit salad</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>You [10:22]</strong>
</p><p>Chae wants to go sledding in the park today.</p><p>You guys wanna join?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [10:22]</strong>
</p><p>PLEASE!!!!!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jeongin [10:22]</strong>
</p><p>omg yess i’ve been waiting for a snow day</p><p>seungmin wants to come too</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jisung [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>yes from me too!!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>count me and binnie in too!!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Minho [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>lix</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>yup</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jeongin [10:23]</strong>
</p><p>tell binnie to prepare for war</p><p>am gonna kick his ass in a snowball fight</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Seungmin [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>Innie, you’re terrible at snowball fights.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>You’re on, child.</p><p>prepare to face my wrath</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>why is this kinda hot</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jeongin [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>hey!! i’ve gotten a lot better, hyung!</p><p>also lix pls no not rn</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>;))</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>what time are we meeting there then?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:24]</strong>
</p><p>11?</p><p>Or is that too early?</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>that’s fine for us</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Jeongin [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>same here</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Seungmin [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>Yep, that’s fine as well.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>i was gonna say that’s too early… but i don’t wanna be that guy</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [10:25]</strong>
</p><p>Then, don’t be that guy.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>i hate you binnie</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>I love you too.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>💕💕💕</strong>
</p><p>come give me a kiss me baby</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Hyunjin [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>booo get a room</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Changbin [10:26]</strong>
</p><p>We do have a room… and a bed…. and other things.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Minho [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>y’all are gross</p><p>chan pls uninvite them</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>You [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>Sure thing, darling.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Felix [10:27]</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>🥺️</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>The park was bustling with hordes of people running and playing no matter what age. Everyone seemed to unleash their inner child when the snow arrived whether it was sledding, building snowmen, making snow angels, or having a snowball fight - all things he assumed his friend group would be indulging in.</p><p>Minho loved how the city looked when it snowed, everything dusted in a light layer of what looked like icing. The frosted sugary branches or tips of vegetation were always so beautiful. Everything about it seemed to be beautiful, even the simple things like the pleasing crunch of snow underfoot or the slight chill that stung his cheeks when a gentle breeze blew past.</p><p>Chan, Minho and Chaesun stood at the base of the park’s hill where people were racing down, spraying snow, and screaming in excitement. Chaesun’s eyes widened in glee and the grip on her red plastic sled tightened, already excited to go down the hill as fast as possible.</p><p>“Morning boys… and Chaesun,” Felix beamed, waddling up to them with Binnie. Both were wrapped up in layers, the familiar swish of snow gear announcing their arrival.</p><p>“For complaining about the timing, I’m surprised you’re here first,” Minho chuckled.</p><p>“Binnie dragged me out of bed. Didn’t even have time for coffee,” Felix grunted, rolling his eyes and playfully punching Changbin. </p><p>The two exchanged hugs with the boys before Felix crouched down to meet Chaesun and have a little talk with her, giggling quietly.</p><p>“How’s it all going?” Chan asked, standing next to Changbin who was watching Felix fondly.</p><p>“It’s slow. Someone came for a home study a few days ago. Felix was stressed as all hell, but it went well, nothing too bad. We’re waiting for official approval and after that we can start looking,” Changbin explained as Felix began to make a baby snowman with Chaesun, rolling two tiny orbs of snow and piling them up onto one another, finishing with a ‘ta-da!’. Chaesun let out a little giggle, both of them turning back to the three boys and giving toothy grins.</p><p>“That’s really exciting. Well, we hope it all goes well,” Chan responded, a warm smile on his face as he swung an arm around Minho’s shoulder. Felix stood up and hugged Changbin’s body, wrapping around his torso, “Are you talking about the adoption?”</p><p>The black-haired boy gave a hum in response as Felix made a childish whine, “I just want a baby now. Aargh.”</p><p>“Eventually, baby,” Changbin hushed, kissing the tip of Felix’s nose, “Eventually.”</p><p>A few minutes later, they were joined by Jeongin and Seungmin and eventually Jisung and Hyunjin after about ten minutes. They all gathered in a spot at the park's centre, still near the hill as Chaesun was desperate to go sledding.</p><p>After a group discussion about what to do, Jisung and Hyunjin announced they were going to build a snowman whilst Jeongin and Changbin were already raring to go with their planned snowball fight. Meanwhile, Minho would come sledding with Felix and Chan whilst Seungmin was planning to moderate the snowball fight so it wouldn’t go out of hand and so he could see ‘Innie get the ever-living crap kicked out of him by Changbin’.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“So, we gonna do multiple or one big one?” Jisung asked, searching around for a good patch of snow to begin construction. Hyunjin hung back, holding his chin and humming, “I say we do two. Snowman couple.”</p><p>“Can we make them gay?” Jisung asked excitedly, eliciting a laugh from Hyunjin who agreed that yes, they could make them gay. At once, they began to roll up the bodies off the snowmen, packing the snow together tightly and creating a trail across the ground. Jisung found it surprisingly demanding work as the ball grew bigger and bigger with Hyunjin demanding they have ‘nice asses’ for their snowmen.</p><p>“Not all gay people have nice asses… look at me,” Jisung contested, leaning against his ball which was about up to his thighs in size. His face was red with exertion but was starting to cool down thanks to the frosty atmosphere of the park. He’d never been that much of a fan of wintry weather but Hyunjin had been so excited about snow this morning that his energy had been infectious.</p><p>Hyunjin shuffled over, gently squeezing Jisung’s butt through his thick snow trousers, “I love your ass, babe. It’s super nice!”</p><p>“Stop, Hyunjin,” Jisung giggled, blushing slightly as he turned to face the taller boy, “We’re in public.”</p><p>“I don’t care,” the blonde whispered, cupping the side of Jisung’s face, and kissing him softly. Their lips were both cold and a little dry but Jisung simply didn’t care enough. Kissing Hyunjin would never really lose its charm. Hyunjin pulled away, a faint pink hue to his cheeks, and looked at Jisung warmly, “Come on, let’s finish these boys.”</p><p>They finished the first part of the snowmen by pushing their snowballs close to each other and admiring them. Jisung’s being significantly smaller than Hyunjin’s who seemed to be an expert at constructing snowmen.</p><p>“Bodies now?” Jisung asked, looking over to his boyfriend who was beaming at their handy work. The blonde nodded and knelt, beginning to create a body. Jisung followed suit, also collecting a few stray rocks along the way for some buttons to place on his chest. The body was much easier with it being smaller than the base.</p><p>Jisung’s. however, was much less uniform than Hyunjin’s. Its shape was reminiscent of a square whereas Hyunjin’s was almost perfectly spherical. It was pretty embarrassing seeing as Jisung was meant to be the artist, not Hyunjin. Brushing it aside, he gripped the bottom of the body, the familiar crunch of snow alerting him that he’d grabbed a little too hard and brought it up to place on the body.</p><p>Making sure it was perfectly balanced, Jisung added a row of three coal-black stones into the centre to resemble buttons.</p><p>“My snowman looks so sad,” Jisung commented, sulking that the flourish of rocks had done little to improve the overall quality of the snowman.</p><p>“Maybe his snowman boyfriend is cheating on him?” Hyunjin asked, placing his hands on his hips as he would always do. Jisung thought it was a cute little tick especially with how he stood vaguely like a pregnant woman when he did it.</p><p>“That makes it even sadder,” Jisung giggled, burying his face in his hands before jolting at the realisation that there was still snow dusted on them and it was, unsurprisingly, pretty cold to his skin. Hyunjin burst out laughing and then sighed, quickly grabbed Jisung’s sides and turning his body towards him. “What’re you doing, Jinnie?”</p><p>Hyunjin didn’t answer, pulling his right glove off and putting it in his coat. Precisely, he brushed away the snow from Jisung’s face and then planted a kiss on his forehead.</p><p>“All clean now,” he whispered, putting the glove back on and winking at Jisung. Despite having been dating for almost four months, Jisung still melted at moments like that. He was a little ashamed that Hyunjin still had so much of an effect on him.</p><p>Shaking away the butterflies in his stomach, Jisung bent down to start piling snow together to create his snowman’s head. He also began to eye up the floor for sticks to use as a make-shift pen for his snowman’s face. After about a few minutes, Hyunjin finished with his head and daintily picked it up to place on the body.</p><p>Standing back from his creation, he let out a satisfied breath and smiled brightly. Jisung stopped for a moment and his eyes widened at the almost perfect snowman in front of him. His eyes then flicked over to his sagging monster that was placed next to Hyunjin’s.</p><p>“How are you so fucking good at that?” Jisung asked in disbelief. Hyunjin shrugged, brushing snow off his jacket, “‘Dunno. My sister and I used to make them a lot when we were kids.” Hyunjin looked over to Jisung’s, “How are you so fucking bad?”</p><p>The blonde giggled quietly before Jisung ran over to shove him, “Don’t be an asshole! This is like the sixth time I’ve made one.”</p><p>“You didn’t make any when you were younger?” Hyunjin asked, still laughing whilst stumbling in the snow before grabbing onto Jisung’s body to either steady him or bring Jisung down with him if he fell.</p><p>“Oh yeah! We got <em>so much snow</em> in Malaysia,” Jisung responded, his voice thick with sarcasm. Hyunjin kept holding onto Jisung, sliding his hands around to hold Jisung’s waist. Jisung peered up at his boyfriend, whispering, “Idiot.”</p><p>“You’re the idiot.” Hyunjin countered, his voice low and undeniably sexy.</p><p>“Maybe we’re both idiots,” Jisung teased, pushing Hyunjin away and giggled as the blonde started whining. Hurrying over to his finished snowman head, Jisung placed it on top of his body and was unable to fight his laughter.</p><p>“Does your snowman have scoliosis?” Hyunjin commented dryly, also joining Jisung in laughter.</p><p>“Hey! Maybe he does! What’s so bad about that?” Jisung fought back defensively, “I’m making an inclusive gay snowman couple!”</p><p>“You’re always so considerate, baby,” Hyunjin said, raising Jisung’s beanie to kiss his temple before yanking it down on his boyfriend’s head and making the smaller boy squirm. “Come on, let’s decorate them!”</p><p>Collecting up some sticks and stones, Jisung brought them over to the snowmen and threw them onto the floor. Hyunjin grabbed two sticks for his snowman and stuck them in the side of the body until they were secure. Jisung did the same and positioned his sticks so that the two snowmen were holding hands.</p><p>“Awe,” Hyunjin cooed as Jisung turned back to him, beaming. Hyunjin scooped up some stones and pressed them to his snowman’s face for some eyes, a nose, and a mouth. He then took his scarf off and wrapped it around the neck.</p><p>Meanwhile, Jisung was holding a stick and precisely drawing features into the head of his snowman, making sure to create deep indents to make them noticeable. Sticking his tongue out slightly, he narrowed his eyes and drew a smiling mouth. Moving downwards, he continued to draw clothes onto the body including a jacket, shirt, and a tie. He stepped back and was thankful that his flourishes had helped to make his snowman slightly more appealing. He waddled over to Hyunjin and interlinked their gloved hands.</p><p>“They look like us,” Hyunjin chuckled, turning his head to Jisung. The brunette looked offended, gawking.</p><p>“Are you saying I look like that?!” he gasped, playing up his offence and dramatically withdrawing his hand from Hyunjin. He began to storm away from Hyunjin, sulking, as the blonde followed him.</p><p>“No! No! I didn’t mean it like that,” Hyunjin laughed, reaching out to grab Jisung’s wrist. As he pulled, Jisung’s feet hit an icy patch and he felt his legs give out from under him. Knocking into Hyunjin, the two boys went down, crashing into the snow and crumpling onto one another.</p><p>“Fuck!” Hyunjin grunted as his head hit the snowy floor whilst Jisung let out a yelp. The brunette’s body landed on top of Hyunjin, and they eventually stilled, lying in the snow together.</p><p>“You’re really not helping yourself,” Jisung scolded Hyunjin, his voice muffled from being pressed into his boyfriend’s jacket. Clambering onto his knees, he rolled off Hyunjin’s body and sat down on the snow next to the blonde.</p><p>“How can I make it up to you?” Hyunjin asked, sitting up and shaking the snow from his body.</p><p>“Kiss me,” Jisung cooed, closing his eyes, and pouting his lips. He waited expectantly for Hyunjin to do so before feeling the sting of snow spraying into his face. Hyunjin let out a howl of laughter and quickly got up, beginning to run away as Jisung bounced up and raced after the blonde.</p><p>“Hwang Hyunjin, you’re fucking dead!”</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“No! You’re fucking dead!” Jeongin called back to Changbin as he pounced to the ground, scooping up a ball of snow and narrowly avoiding a snowball that the older was pelting at him.</p><p>“Keep it PG boys!” Seungmin called out, sitting on the snow with a wide grin on his face, “We have children around!”</p><p>“Sorry!” Changbin called out, diving out of the way as Jeongin threw a snowball at Changbin’s head. It smashed to pieces, hitting the tree directly behind him as Jeongin screamed out a laugh, “That was close, hyung!”</p><p>“Not close enough!” Changbin countered, launching one which exploded onto Jeongin square in the chest. The youngest of the group grunted and, putting his best acting abilities to the test, began to keel over and die. He collapsed to the ground, wailing, before crumpling ‘dead’ and going stiff.</p><p>“You’re all talk it seems, Innie,” Changbin smirked cockily, as he walked over to the boy. Towering over him with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, he outstretched a hand. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity, Jeongin grabbed a nearby snowball he’d made earlier and pelted it directly at Changbin. The older sputtered and stumbled backwards, wiping down his face and mumbling, “You little shit.”</p><p>On the sidelines, Seungmin broke out into giggles as he watched his boyfriend crawl out from under Changbin’s shadow and dash away, “Well played, Innie! Well played!”</p><p>Jeongin gave an arrogant smile as he heard the crunch of Changbin following him, a pile of snow already in hand. The elder caught up to the younger and, grabbing the hood of his coat, buried the snow deep into Jeongin’s coat.</p><p>He squealed and convulsed, desperately trying to get the ice-cold slush off his back. Changbin stood by, laughing devilishly, and pointing at the younger boy.</p><p>Just as Jeongin was about to get his revenge, Hyunjin careened into the battlefield and scurried over to Changbin, hiding behind him (although doing a poor job with his superior height).</p><p>“Protect me, hyung!” Hyunjin wailed as Jisung appeared, his face burning red and dripping snow.</p><p>“What have you done now?” Changbin groaned as Jisung spied his boyfriend, raising his arm and clutching a snowball in it.</p><p>“We doing a doubles match then?” Jeongin called out, scooping snow up into his hand.</p><p>“Seems like it!” Changbin answered, chuckling to himself at how quickly this snowball fight had become serious. Seungmin watched in anticipation, surely wishing he’d brought popcorn to this.</p><p>And with a war cry from Jisung, the boys erupted into chaos. Changbin was on the offensive, pelting snowballs as hard as he could towards the two boys. Hyunjin, meanwhile, was much more cowardly, retreating to a safer distance whilst collecting a small arsenal. Jeongin remained his usual sneaky self, using Jisung as cover to grow closer to Changbin whilst still squirming at the snow down his back. Jisung was the most aggressive, aiming directly for Hyunjin with his throws and barely succeeding.</p><p>Too blinded with fury, he passed Changbin and felt snow collide with his large cheeks making him yelp. He stumbled as Changbin grinned happily before he joined Jisung in a yelp, having snow dumped directly on his head courtesy of Jeongin.</p><p>As Hyunjin erupted into laughter at how terrible Jisung’s plan had gone, he felt a sharp pang hit his back and he grumbled, turning to see who had thrown it.</p><p>Standing a few feet away from him and with a bright smile on his face was Seungmin, clutching a few other snowballs and giggling.</p><p>“Sorry, Jinnie. I couldn’t resist,”</p><p>After a few more fights, the boys found themselves collapsed on the ground, all completely out of breath. Jeongin lay on Seungmin’s body, his face red as he panted heavily. Changbin was sitting cross-legged, pressing his forehead to the floor, and letting out a soothing ‘ooh’. Meanwhile, Jisung and Hyunjin had made up reasonably quickly with Jisung finally getting his revenge and then his kiss.</p><p>“So, who won?” Jeongin asked, curling into Seungmin’s body as the taller boy wrapped his arm around him.</p><p>“You, baby,” Seungmin mumbled, pressing a kiss to Jisung’s hair. The younger cooed and wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s body. Changbin rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Bullshit. I won,” he announced, “It wasn’t even close.”</p><p>“Quit lying to yourself, hyung,” Jeongin piped up, grinning evilly with how easily he knew he could irritate Changbin.</p><p>“Quiet brat or you’ll get another snowball in the face,”</p><p>“If you can hit me,”</p><p>“That’s it. You’re dead,”</p><p>“Please! Can we just chill out for a few minutes!” Jisung cut through their argument, raising his arms as Hyunjin remained clung to him like a koala.</p><p>“You’re one to talk,” Seungmin teased, “You were seeing red a few minutes ago.”</p><p>“I can never stay mad at such a cute boy,” Jisung grinned, nestling into Hyunjin’s head.</p><p>“You two are sickening,” Changbin commented dryly.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>The top of the hill was much higher than Chan had thought and now, staring down the steep snowy slope in front of him, he was having some regrets.</p><p>“It didn’t look as high from down there,” he mumbled, holding his daughter’s hand just a little tighter.</p><p>“I know! It looks even steeper! Isn’t that great?” Felix grinned, placing his sled on the ground, and excitedly hopping in, “We’re gonna go so fast!”</p><p>Minho placed his sled down next to Felix and walked over to Chan as Chaesun wriggled out of his grasp to hop in Felix’s sled with him.</p><p>“Be careful!” Chan called out as Felix wrapped his arms around Chaesun to secure her whilst she gripped the rope for steering. They both had mad looks in their eyes, desperate for a hit of adrenaline.</p><p>“We’ll be fine, daddy!”</p><p>“See you down there!”</p><p>Minho slipped his hand into Chan’s as he watched Felix and Chaesun take off, slowly sliding across the snow before taking an abrupt dive. Soon after, the noise of their laughter and screaming filled the air.</p><p>“You’re shitting it, aren’t you?” Minho asked, looking over to Chan who was chewing on his lips nervously.</p><p>“You’re not?”</p><p>“Not in the slightest. I’m with Felix,”</p><p>“You guys are crazy,” Chan groaned as Minho began to slowly drag him towards their blue plastic sled.</p><p>“Come on. It’ll be fun,” he smiled, lowering Chan into the sled, and sliding in between his legs, “Anyway, you love sitting with me like this.”</p><p>Chan stifled a laugh as he felt Minho take his hands to hold them at his waist.</p><p>“Just imagine this is our couch and we’re watching a movie,” Minho said, his voice lilting.</p><p>“Except we’re gonna drop like one hundred feet and then die,”</p><p>“That’s the spirit,” Minho grinned, leaning back into Chan’s body and, despite the fear overtaking his body, having Minho pressed up against him and in his arms was undeniably a soothing feeling. Taking a deep breath in, he felt the sled begin to move as Minho pushed off the ground. The scraping of plastic against ice grew louder as the speed increased and soon Chan found Minho and him beginning to tip over the edge.</p><p>“No. No. No. No. No. I regret this so much,” Chan said, his words blending together with how quickly he was speaking. Minho let out a scream of excitement as the sled dipped and they began to tear down the hill. The wind picked up, whipping at their faces, and stinging their cheeks as ice and snow flew out from under the sled. Minho had his arms up, screaming in joy and throwing his head back. Chan was much more terrified.</p><p>“Holy sh-sugar!” he wailed, his mouth filling with snow as he shouted. Speed increased with Chan being sure the sled would tip over and they’d meet their ends. In fact, he was certain. Closing his eyes firmly, he gripped Minho tighter as the ground levelled out below him and the sled began to lose speed. Minho stuck his hands out as a break and soon, Chan found himself stopped still in the centre of the park, eyes still shut. He could hear Minho panting, giggles erupting from him.</p><p>“Wasn’t it so fun, daddy?” Chaesun asked, hurrying over to him, and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He finally opened his eyes, finding himself on steady ground and let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>“Yeah. It was really fun,” Chan replied, a complete lie but he didn’t want to ruin Chaesun’s good mood. However, he should’ve expected the next words that would come out of her mouth, “I wanna go with you now!”</p><p>Minho chuckled slightly, standing up as Chan nodded reluctantly.</p><p>“You sure, angel?” Chan asked, picking his sled up from the ground and tucking it under his arm.</p><p>“Yup!” Chaesun chirped, already heading off to begin climbing the hill.</p><p>“There’s no way I’m getting out of this right?”</p><p>“You’ll survive,” Minho answered, a smirk on his face.</p><p>“Gee, thanks,”</p><p>Chan did, in fact, survive although he was sure he wouldn’t be able to speak much more with how hoarse his voice had come from screaming. He’d gone once with Chaesun and, although he hoped it would’ve been the last time, he knew that it wouldn’t be.</p><p>So, here he was, at the top of the hill with Minho and Chaesun as they lead him to clamber into the sled.</p><p>“This feels dangerous,” Chan grumbled, sitting down as Minho sat between his legs and Chaesun between Minho’s, “It says to only allow two.”</p><p>“Don’t be a baby,” Minho giggled, “Dangerous is fun.”</p><p>“Yeah!” Chaesun piped up, already beginning to move the sled. Chan leaned into Minho’s ear to whisper, “You’re a horrible influence.”</p><p>“And you’re boring,” Minho replied, making Chan grumble.</p><p>The sled took off pretty quickly thanks to the increased weight and Chan saw the drop growing nearer and nearer. Despite having done this a few times, the addition of Chaesun and Minho in his sled had him pretty nervous. He knew this couldn’t end well.</p><p>“Ready?” Minho giggled as the sled began to dip and Chaesun let out a scream.</p><p>It was by far the quickest they’d gone the entire day, speeding down the hill at record speed. It didn’t help that it was starting to become even more icy underneath as the snow had begun to melt.</p><p>“Wooooo!” Chaesun howled with Minho joining her whilst Chan held tightly onto the two.</p><p>“Too fast!” he shrieked as the sled began to tip forwards and brush against the floor more than it was supposed to. Minho seemed to notice and placed his hands as a brake. However, this only caused the sled to twist and soon, Chan found himself flying out of the sled and into a large pile of snow. Thankfully, the landing had been soft, but he hadn’t expected Minho to follow. The brunette crashed into him, landing on his legs hard and immediately letting out a howl of laughter.</p><p>Seeing as Minho had been thrown, Chan immediately began to search around for Chaesun and finding the sled empty, he felt his anxiety bubble up in his stomach.</p><p>“Where’s Chae?” he asked, eyes wide as he scanned the surrounding area. Minho bit his lip anxiously, joining Chan in the search.</p><p>“She was right with me,” Minho mumbled, standing up and looking around.</p><p>“Boo!”</p><p>After Minho had finished speaking, Chaesun leapt up from the snow pile and onto Chan, making the older grunt whilst also soothing his anxiety due to the fact she’d returned.</p><p>“Oh, thank God,” Chan breathed out, pulling Chaesun into his body, “I thought I lost you.”</p><p>“That was so fun, daddy,” Chaesun giggled, “Can we do it again?”</p><p>“I think your dad’s a little tired out, Chae,” Minho chuckled, reaching out his hands to pull the two up onto their feet as they began to brush snow off their clothes.</p><p>“No fair,” Chaesun sighed.</p><p>“Hey,” Chan said, catching her attention, “If it’s still like this tomorrow, we can go up that hill.”</p><p>“Promise?”</p><p>“Promise,”</p><p>With a giggle, Chaesun hugged Chan’s waist before taking both his and Minho’s gloved hands.</p><p>Chan couldn’t express how much he loved it when she did that. It really felt as though Minho was a part of the family… and that Chaesun wanted him to be.</p><p> </p><p>♫</p><p> </p><p>“I’m gonna grab some hot chocolate. Do you guys want any?” Seungmin asked, standing up and turning to the large group of boys and Chaesun sprawled out on the snow.</p><p>The group erupted into a chorus of screaming ‘me!’ as Seungmin quickly became overwhelmed at the outpour of noise. Minho quickly stood up and joined Seungmin by his side.</p><p>“I’ll come with. I don’t think you’re gonna be able to bring back nine hot chocolates alone,” Minho chuckled. The two boys walked over to a metal van with large bubbly lettering on the side reading ‘HOT CHOCOLATE’. A man slid the window opened and poked his head out.</p><p>“How can I help?” the man asked.</p><p>“We’d like nine hot chocolates please,” Seungmin smiled brightly, pulling out his wallet. The man looked a little stunned at the large order before nodding and entering the order into the cash register. He placed nine cups by the window and the whir of machinery began.</p><p>“That’ll be 35,015 won,” the man smiled as Seungmin’s eyes widened. Minho patted him on the shoulder and pulled out his wallet as well. “We can split.”</p><p>They both tapped their cards onto the reader with the man having evenly split the price in two. Eventually, he served up the nine hot chocolates, handing them to the boys in cardboard holders.</p><p>“Thank you!” Seungmin chirped, balancing the hot chocolates in his hand as he followed Minho back to the group. They sat back down, handing the hot chocolates over to each person in the group as they happily sipped at the soothing drinks.</p><p>“Damn. This is good,” Changbin hummed, closing his eyes happily. It fell silent between the group, an unusual occurrence, as everyone drank and quietly thanked Seungmin for the great idea.</p><p>Jeongin, Hyunjin and Changbin finished their hot chocolates first and, despite complaining of exhaustion, were back at it with a snowball fight. This time Hyunjin and Changbin decided to team up on Jeongin who had, in Changbin’s words, been ‘acting like a cocky idiot all day’. This broke the silence that had settled over the group with Jeongin now periodically wailing as snowballs were pelted at him from all angles. Jisung and Felix eventually gave in and rushed to Jeongin’s defence, attacking their boyfriends for being so cruel to their youngest.</p><p>Seungmin and Chaesun were still taking a while with their hot chocolates and were talking quietly with one another. Seungmin had a wide smile on his face as he leaned in to giggle with Chaesun as the little girl told some joke. Chan looked over fondly at Seungmin.</p><p>“I didn’t know he was so good with kids,” Chan commented, placing his empty hot chocolate cup on the ground.</p><p>“He’s got a younger sister and she’s his entire world. He’s always been great with kids,” Minho explained, grabbing Chan’s arm to tuck it over his shoulder so he could press into his warmth.</p><p>“I bet he misses her,”</p><p>“He’s kind of incredible, Seungmin. Somehow, he deals with all our bullshit and still has time for his own stuff,”</p><p>“I feel sorry for him,” Chan chuckled as Minho smacked him playfully.</p><p>“Maybe you can deal with my problems then?” Minho asked, playing with Chan’s fingers having slipped his glove off.</p><p>“Only if you deal with mine,” Chan responded, a smirk on his face.</p><p>“Of course,” Minho grinned, leaning in to kiss Chan. It was short and chaste but with the sweetness of Minho’s lips, Chan couldn’t have asked for anything else.</p><p>“I love you,” Chan whispered, tucking Minho’s hair behind his ear, and resting his forehead on his boyfriend’s.</p><p>“I love you too,” Minho responded, kissing the frozen tip of Chan’s nose, and making the older blush.</p><p>“I wish there was a stronger way to tell you. I feel like you’ll get sick of ‘I love you’,” Chan laughed.</p><p>“Not if it’s coming from your lips,” Minho retorted, running his finger gently over Chan’s lower lip, “Though, you could always propose.”</p><p>Chan went silent for a minute, his eyes widening and his ears not entirely sure if he’d heard Minho right.</p><p>“I’m kidding, Chan,” Minho giggled, a devious smirk on his face, “We still have a long way to go before that.”</p><p>“You’d want that though?” Chan asked, hoping Minho’s answer was the same as his.</p><p>“Of course… but let’s not rush things,” Minho explained, and Chan nodded in agreement. The brunette quickly planted another kiss on Chan’s lips before sighing contently and relaxing back into Chan’s arms.</p><p>If Chan went ring shopping a few months later, he’d just have to keep quiet about that for a little while.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's it!</p><p>Writing Two Left Feet has honestly been so much fun for me. It acted as such a nice distraction from the boredom of lockdown and, once lockdown was lifted, acted as a perfect way to relax and enjoy myself. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing response from you guys and reading your comments every week has sometimes been the highlight of my shittier days.</p><p>I really sincerely hope you enjoyed and I apologise for any messiness or inconsistencies that came up in this (it is still my first fic). I hope they didn't distract from the overall story and you still had fun.</p><p>For now, I think I'm gonna take a little break from writing to focus on schoolwork as I have exams coming up. That being said, I've been planning on doing a sequel to this story which is just special chapters and fluff between the characters. This could be anything from Chan finally appearing on Felix's channel to Seungmin and Jeongin's graduation or even Minho and Chaesun performing Feel Special. Essentially, no real overarching story, just fluff.</p><p>That being said, I've also been tempted to do a prequel focusing on Seungmin and Jeongin at university and how their relationship began. If that's something you guys might want, please let me know!!</p><p>This has been very long but I had a lot I wanted to say. Anyway, once again, thank you all so much for reading!! I hope you enjoyed this stupid little fic and it provided some joy for you like how it has for me. &lt;3 &lt;3</p><p>ALSO I GUESS THIS FIC TAKES PLACE IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE WHERE GAY MARRIAGE IS LEGAL IN SK. Yes that's entirely because I think the ending is cute, what about it?</p>
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